Field Experiment Effect on Citrus Spider Mite <i>Panonychus citri</i> of Venom from Jellyfish <i>Nemopilema nomurai</i>: The Potential Use of Jellyfish in Agriculture

• Main Authors: Huahua Yu, Rongfeng Li, Xueqin Wang, Yang Yue, Song Liu, Ronge Xing, Pengcheng Li
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
• Series: Toxins
• Subjects: cnidarian venom; acaricidal activity; field efficacy
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/13/6/411

Jellyfish are rich in resources and widely distributed along coastal areas. As a potential approach to respond to jellyfish blooms, the use of jellyfish-derived products is increasing. The citrus spider mite (<i>Panonychus citri</i>) is one of the key citrus pests, negatively impacting the quality and quantity of oranges. Due to the resistance and residue of chemical acaricides, it is important to seek natural substitutes that are environmentally friendly. The field efficacy of the venom from the jellyfish <i>Nemopilema nomurai</i> against <i>P. citri</i> was assayed in a citrus garden. The frozen <i>N. nomurai</i> tentacles were sonicated in different buffers to isolate the venom. The venom isolated by PBS buffer (10 mM, pH 6.0) had the strongest acaricidal activity of the four samples, and the corrected field efficacy 7 days after treatment was up to 95.21%. This study demonstrated that jellyfish has potential use in agriculture.