Atmospheric pressure plasma discharge (APPD) has been applied to a number of industrial applications, including the bacterial sterilization of medical equipment of bacteria. APPD may also have applications in insect control. A positive correlation was found between exposure time to APPD and mortality of western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande); tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca (Hinds); Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse); twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch; and German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.), with the level of mortality also increasing with time after treatment. Cockroaches exposed to APPD for 60, 90, 120, and 180 s lost on average 7.5 ± 0.8, 8.1 ± 0.6, 8.7 ± 0.4, and 10.1 ± 1.1 (±1 SEM) mg of water weight, respectively, which was an increase over that of the controls. The metabolic rate of cockroaches exposed to plasma for 180 s increased from 0.79 ± 0.03 to 1.07 ± 0.04 ml of oxygen consumed mg-cockroach−1 h−1 at standard temperature and pressure. The level of cuticular hydrocarbons identified by electron impact gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were not significantly affected by plasma exposure in the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), German cockroach, and citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri (Risso), except for a reduction in n-tritriacontane in the latter. However, changes in the behavior of cockroaches after plasma exposure, including the loss of photo-, vibro-, and thigmotropic responses, inability to right themselves, and hyperexcitatory symptoms, suggest that the site of action of APPD in insects is the nervous and/or neuromuscular system.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 February 2006
Mode of Action of a Novel Nonchemical Method of Insect Control: Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Discharge
Kevin V. Donohue,
Brian L. Bures,
Mohamed A. Bourham,
R. Michael Roe
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
It is not available for individual sale.
This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
It is not available for individual sale.
Journal of Economic Entomology
Vol. 99 • No. 1
February 2006
Vol. 99 • No. 1
February 2006
atmospheric pressure plasma
dielectric barrier discharge
insect control
quarantine