Title:	Toxicity of emulsions, high and low energy nanoemulsions of orange essential oil and d-limonene to Drosophila suzukii, and selectivity to Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae.
Authors:	LOPEZ, C. B. LIMA, R. S. de ASSIS, L. S. de OLIVEIRA, J. E. de MARTINS, M. A. FARRO-BARBARÁN, R. Y. HADD, K.
Affiliation:	FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF LAVRAS, LAVRAS, MG, BRAZIL; FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF LAVRAS, LAVRAS, MG, BRAZIL; FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF LAVRAS, LAVRAS 37203-202, BRAZIL; FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF LAVRAS, LAVRAS, MG, BRAZIL; MARIA ALICE MARTINS, CNPDIA; FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF LAVRAS, LAVRAS, MG, BRAZIL; FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF LAVRAS, LAVRAS, MG, BRAZIL.
Date Issued:	2026
Citation:	3 Biotech. v. 16, 191, 2026.
Pages:	13 p.
Description:	Sweet orange essential oil (Citrus sinensis) and its major component d-limonene were formulated as emulsions and low- and high-energy nanoemulsions and evaluated for toxicity against adults, larvae, and pupae of Drosophila suzukii, as well as for selectivity toward the pupal parasitoid Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae. High-energy nanoemulsions produced smaller and more homogeneous droplets (221–289 nm; PDI 0.210–0.255) compared with low-energy nanoemulsions (617–796 nm; PDI 0.548–0.644), indicating improved dispersion and potential stability. Toxicity assays revealed that the pure essential oil and d-limonene were the most toxic to adult D. suzukii (LC50 = 1.7 wt% and 0.54 wt%, respectively), followed by high-energy nanoemulsions, emulsions, and low-energy nanoemulsions. Although pure compounds showed slightly higher toxicity, high-energy nanoemulsions maintained comparable efficacy, suggesting improved delivery with out major loss of activity. Larval mortality did not exceed 40% across treatments, whereas pupae were markedly more susceptible. High-energy nanoemulsions of both orange essential oil and d-limonene produced the highest pupal mortality (around 85%), followed by low-energy nanoemulsions (72–77.5%) and emulsions (50–75%). In addition, emulsified and nanoemulsified formulations induced developmental abnormalities in emerged adults, with malformation rates reaching 30%. Selectivity assays demonstrated low toxicity of all formulations to adult P. vindemmiae, with mortality generally below 20% and a negligible reduction of parasitism activity in most treatments. Overall, the formulation method strongly influenced physicochemical properties and insecticidal performance. High-energy nanoemulsions enhanced efficacy, par ticularly against pupae, while maintaining low toxicity to a key parasitoid. These findings indicate that nanoformulated citrus essential oils represent promising selective and environmentally compatible tools for integrated management of D. suzukii.
Keywords:	Spotted wing drosophila Bioinsecticide Nanoemulsion
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-026-04833-9
Type of Material:	Artigo de periódico
Access:	openAccess
Appears in Collections:	Artigo em periódico indexado (CNPDIA)