Study on the sub lethal effects of essential Oils extracted from Foeniculum vulgare, Teucrium polium and Satureja hortensis on some biological traits of Callosobruchus maculatus (Col., Bruchidae)

Subject Areas : entomology and othea arthropods

A. Heydarzade ¹ (Graduated Student, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran)
G. Moravvej ² (Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran)
S. Hatefi ³ (Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran)
S. Sarbaz ⁴ (Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran)

Received: 2011-11-27 Accepted : 2012-10-13 Published : 2013-05-22

Keywords:

Abstract :

During the past few decades, many investigations have been conducted on different plant products in order to obtain safer and effective alternatives for chemical insecticides to control stored product insects. In the present study, the effects of essential oils from fennel, Foeniculum vulgare Miller (Apiaceae), Wall germander, Teucrium polium Boiss. (Lamiaceae) and Summer savory, Satureja hortensis L. (Lamiaceae) were investigated on behavioral and reproductive activity and adult emergence of cowpea seed beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus at 28±2 °C and 60±5% R.H. in dark condition. The results indicated that the repellent activity of essential oils on beetles increased by increasing oil concentration. At the highest concentration (23.08 µl L-1 air), the mean repellency percentages of fennel, Wall germander and Summer savory oils were 66.82, 84.93 and 95.92% on males and 59.28, 76.06 and 88.8 % on females, respectively. Males were more susceptible to repellent activity of oils than females. The essential oils of Summer savory and fennel had the most and the least repellent activity, respectively. The results indicated that reproductive activity of cowpea seed beetle decreased by increasing oil concentration. At the highest concentration (45.45 µl L-1 air), oviposition deterrence of fennel, wall germander and summer savory oils were 70.89, 63.69 and 56.85%, respectively. At this concentration, the oils caused 76.16, 68.87 and 55.63% deterrency on F1 adult emergence, respectively. The deterrency of fennel oilon oviposition and F1 adult emergence was significantly higher than two other oils. The results suggested that the essential oils especially that of fennel had an adverse effect on embryonic and larval development, resulting in the reduction of oviposition and F1 progency production.