Biopesticides from Amorpha fruticosa, Can We Turn the Dice and Use This Aggressive Invasive Arboreal as Economically Prospective Source of Compounds Capable to Control Pests on Crops?

Abstract

The global decline of pollinators and particularly the decline of bumblebees is a well-proven fact. Their conservation is a leading task in searching for new biopesticides. Amorpha fruticosa L. (Fabaceae) is alien invasive plant in all parts of the world. This way it is a hazard to the local biodiversity. On the other hand, it is an inexpensive potential source of biopesticides with lower toxic effects on humans and pollinators. The aim of this review study was to overview A. fruticosa chemical constituents and to identify the groups of compounds with pesticide potential. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the Google Scholar, Web of Science, and PubMed to identify related publications from 1939 up to 2023. The insecticidal activity of A. fruticosa was attributed to the rotenoid compounds. The extracts, containing rotenoids and particularly amorphigenin, are quite prospective as fumigants. Rotenoids from A. fruticosa can help to reduce the use of synthetic pesticides and their negative effects on honeybees but most importantly on wild pollinators. This can help wild bees’ and particularly bumblebees’ conservation. The main components of A. fruticosa essential oil including δ-cadinene, γ-cadinene, β-caryophyllene, γ-muurolene +, ar-curcumene, myrcene have insect repellent and insecticidal properties. Intensified harvesting of A. fruticosa as a source of bioactive compounds will contribute to decreasing its populations and reducing their destructive impact on the natural habitats and biodiversity. Implications for further research would involve tests of A. fruticosa rotenoids on both pests and pollinators.

Keywords

• essential oils and rotenoids
• fumigant and insect repellent
• invasive plant management
• isoflavones
• phytotoxicity