Insecticidal potential of Bowman–Birk proteinase inhibitors from red gram (Cajanus cajan) and black gram (Vigna mungo) against lepidopteran insect pests

The present study assessed the insecticidal potential of purified Bowman–Birk proteinase inhibitors from red gram (RgPI) and black gram (BgPI) towards lepidopteran insect pests. Both RgPI and BgPI showed remarkable inhibitory activity against midgut trypsin-like proteinases of Achaea janata. While, BgPI showed moderate to low inhibitory activity towards the midgut trypsin-like proteinases of Helicoverpa armigera, Spodoptera litura, Papilio demoleus, Amsacta albistriga, Corcyra cephalonica, Bombyx mori and Daphnis nerii, RgPI showed low to negligible inhibitory activity. The isoinhibitors of RgPI and BgPI were stable in presence of trypsin and chymotrypsin of bovine pancreatic origin, as well as larval midgut proteinases of A. janata, H. armigera and S. litura. The midgut trypsin-like proteinases of A. janata and H. armigera as well as midgut trypsin- and chymotrypsin-like proteinases of S. litura were susceptible to inhibition by RgPI and BgPI. Feeding assays displayed a dose-dependent decrease in body weight and survival rate of these larvae with increasing concentration of inhibitors supplemented in the diet. RgPI displayed significant reduction in body weight and survival rate of A. janata larvae compared with BgPI. Conversely, BgPI showed significant reduction in body weight of S. litura larvae compared with RgPI.