Effect of Essential Oils from Nepeta crispa, Anethum graveolens and Satureja hortensis Against the Stored-product Insect "Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller)"

Abstract

Essential oils of medicinal plants have insecticidal properties as bio pesticides. In this study fumigant effect of three plant essential oils extracted from <em>Nepeta crispa</em> Willd (Lamiaceae), <em>Satureja hortensis</em> L. (Lamiaceae) and <em>Anethum graveolens</em> L. (Apiaceae) were investigated against third instar larvae of the Mediterranean flour moth, <em>Ephestia kuehniella</em> Zeller (Pyralidae), during 2017 at Urmia University, Iran. Extraction of essential oils was carried out by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus. All of the essential oils were highly effective to <em>E. kuehniella </em>larvae. The highest mortalities produced by essential oil of <em>N. crispa</em> with LC₅₀ value of 6.846 µl L^-1 air followed by <em>A. graveolens </em>and <em>S. hortensis</em> with LC₅₀ values of 18.001 and 30.088 µl L^-1 air, respectively. There was a direct relationship between insecticidal activity and oils concentration. The results revealed that essential oils from the three aromatic plants have a potential insecticidal activity against the third larvae of the stored-product insect "Zeller" under laboratory conditions and might have paved an effective and friendly environmental treatment technique in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs.