Abstract

The biological control with natural products can be effective and an environmental friendly
approach, which can be used as an alternative to minimize the insect population. Fungi and
fungus/derived products are highly toxic to insects, yet they have low toxicity to non-target
organisms.
In our study we demonstrated that the addition of Tribolium castaneum components in a
culture of saprophytic fungus Aspergillus parasiticus MOR 3 induces the production of a
novel compound present into mycelium 2-(4-bromophenyl)-2-oxoethyl benzoate, that was
reported here for the first time as a natural product of A. parasiticus, which, at the same time,
increased significantly the fungal extracellular of production of undecyl 4-fluorobenzoate.
These extracts were active as food repellent and have antipathogenic properties against
Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Our results suggest that the mycelium and extracellular extracts are potential candidates as
coleopteran insect repellent.

Key words> Aspergillus parasiticus, fungal induction, repellent substances, Tribolium

castaneum, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, biofilm.