Darabi, Kh, and J. Khajehali. 2017. Bioactivity of Essential Oils of Mentha Species and Cuminum cyminum L. on Anarta trifolii (Hufnagel) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Journal of essential oil-bearing plants

Kh. Darabi and  J. Khajehali.

Bioactivity of Essential Oils of Mentha Species and Cuminum cyminum L. on Anarta trifolii (Hufnagel) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Journal of Essential Oil Bearing Plants.

20 (4) 2017 pp 1097 - 1106

Abstract

In order to reduce the use of chemical pesticides and the development of organic products, four essential oils, Mentha pulegium L., Mentha spicata L., Mentha piperita L. and Cuminum cyminum L., were tested by several parameters against one of the defoliator pests of lettuce, Anarta trifolii (Hufnagel). Fumigant toxicity tests on the second and third larval instars showed the greatest sensitivity to M. pulegium essential oils, with LC₅₀ of 0.41 and 0.80 μL/L air, and LC₉₀ of 0.88 and 9.14 μL/L air, respectively. M. pulegium concentrations of 0.89, 1.34 and 2 μL/L exhibited the highest antifeedant effect on the fourth instar larvae, 47.88%, 31.80% and 11.89% eaten leaf surface, respectively. The lowest concentration of this oil (0.89 μL/ L) revealed significant differences in all nutritional indices of A. trifolii compared to the control, lowest RGR, ECI % and ECD % (0.40, 5.17% and 5.98%, respectively) and the highest CI and AD % as 8.67 and 88.15%, respectively. The duration of larval and pupal stages was also affected and M. pulegium caused the longest larval and pupal durations, 16.67 and 13.80 days, respectively, and the lowest percentage of adult emergence, 13.33%, in the highest concentration, 0.06 μL/L. GC-Mass analysis of the M. pulegium revealed that the pulegone (63.88%) was the major component of this oil. Based on the results, this essential oil had the greatest impact against A. trifolii, compared to the other tested oils. M. pulegium can be considered as a reasonable alternative to chemical pesticides to control this pest under greenhouse conditions.