Exploring the fumigant potential of Artemisia subg. Seriphidium essential oils and their dominant constituents against the red imported fire ants Solenopsis invicta

The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) is considered one of the world's most successful and destructive invasive pests, with significant agricultural, medical, economic, and ecological impacts. Climate change has facilitated its spread, emphasizing the need for effective management strategies. However, the reliance on synthetic insecticides for its management poses significant environmental, ecological, and health risks, highlighting the urgent need for alternative, sustainable solutions. Therefore, our current study aims to explore the insecticidal potential of Artemisia subg. Seriphidium against S. invicta. The GC-MS studies of the 34 selected species indicated 39 constituents commonly found throughout this subgenus, with 1,8-cineole, camphor, alpha-thujone, beta-thujone, citral, and geraniol as the major dominant constituents. The essential oils (EOs) and their dominant constituents exhibited potent acute fumigant activities, with significantly lower LC50 values ranging from 2.18 to 4.19 mu L/L, compared to the LC50 value of ethyl formate 18.11 mu L/L used as a positive control. All the tested EOs and their dominant constituents exhibited 100 % mortality at 4 mu L/L concentrations after 120 minutes of fumigation. The EOs and their dominant constituents significantly upregulated cytochrome P450 genes, a major xenobiotic detoxifying gene, in fumigated ants. Furthermore, the molecular docking analysis of CYP18A1 monooxygenase predicted the inhibition of CYP450 isoenzyme by the dominant constituents. The EOs and their dominant constituents also induced apoptosis in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells, characterized by DNA fragmentation, nuclear condensation, actin disruption, and upregulation of autophagy-related genes Atg1 and Atg8. Our current study highlights the potential of Artemisia subg. Seriphidium EOs and its major constituents are a novel source of fumigants for the sustainable management of the invasive pest S. invicta, offering a sustainable source of industrial raw materials for botanical pesticide development.