Towards environmentally and human friendly insect pest control technologies: Photosensitization of leafminer flies Liriomyza bryoniae

Development of new, ecologically safe technologies to control insect pest populations is of great importance. Photoactive compounds usually used for photosensitization might be effective as pesticide agents, with low impact on the environment, being non-toxic and not mutagenic. Phosensitizer accumulates within the insect body and, following exposure to visible light, induces lethal photochemical reactions and death. The aim of this study is to evaluate the possible usage of several photosensitizers (acridine orange, aminolevulinic acid, hematoporphyrin dimethyl ether, methylene blue) as photopesticides to control population of polyphagous plant pest Liriomyza bryoniae (Kaltenbach, 1858) (Diptera, Agromyzidae). Fluorescence measurements of intact cooled insects indicate that insect feeding with bait containing HPde and sugar induces remarkable accumulation of this compound in the body of insect. This accumulation is strongly dependent on sex and feeding duration. The highest HPde amount in the body of insect was detected 16 h after feeding, whereas no significant photosensitizer amount was detected in the same insect following 48 h. Following irradiation with visible light results in fast death of L. bryoniae. Of importance to note that survival of insects after feeding and irradiation depends on sex: female insect died much faster than males.