Fuente: PubMed "agrofood sustainability" Insects. 2026 May 20;17(5):520. doi: 10.3390/insects17050520.ABSTRACTThe American grapevine leafhopper (Scaphoideus titanus) is a major threat to grapevine production, as it is the primary vector of the flavescence dorée phytoplasma. Its ongoing spread poses a serious risk to several viticultural regions, including Italy. This study evaluates the efficacy of a plant-derived formulation composed of extracts of Salvia guaranitica, Capsicum annuum 'Cayenne', and olive oil (Form) against S. titanus, through laboratory bioassays and field trials conducted in 2024 and 2025. In laboratory assays, Form applied at 0.5% caused 84.0% mortality in S. titanus adults, while at 2% mortality reached 94.3%. In field trials, prior to treatment (1 August 2024), the average number of adults captured was 3.9 per trap in both vineyard blocks. Four days after treatment (12 August 2024), captures decreased significantly to two per trap in the treated vineyard, whereas they increased to 8.2 per trap in the untreated block. Eight days after treatment (16 August 2024), captures in the treated vineyard remained low (2.4 per trap), while the untreated vineyard maintained high levels (eight per trap). Nymph monitoring showed a similar trend. Before treatment, the incidence of S. titanus was 44.0% and 46.0% in untreated and Form-treated plants, respectively. After treatment (8 June 2025), the percentage of leaves hosting nymphs rose to 84.0% in the untreated vineyard but remained stable at 44.0% in the Form-treated area. Overall, these results demonstrate that Form exerts a measurable toxic effect on S. titanus under both laboratory and field conditions. The findings suggest that a plant-derived formulation such as Form represents a promising alternative to chemical insecticides for controlling the main vector of flavescence dorée and could be integrated into sustainable management strategies.PMID:42188186 | PMC:PMC13207102 | DOI:10.3390/insects17050520