Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran
2 Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran
Abstract
Over the past few decades, many investigations have been conducted on different plant products in order to obtain safer and more effective alternatives rather than chemical insecticides for controlling stored-product insects. In the present study, the contact toxicities and repellent effects of the essential oils from two spices including cardamom (Elletaria cardamomum) and black caraway (Bunium persicum) were examined on the adults of rust-red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). The bioassays were performed at 30 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% RH and darkness. The results of the contact bioassays showed that males and females mortality was increased with increase of essential oil concentration. The males were more sensitive to oils than the females. Based on the 24h LC50 values, the highest contact toxicity was related to B. persicum oil against males (0.25 μl.cm-2) and the lowest toxicity was recorded for E. cardamomum oil against females (0.91 μl.cm-2). Results of the repellency experiments indicated that for obtaining about 70-80% repellency, higher concentrations (3-4 times) of E. cardamomum oil were needed compared to B. persicum oil. Repellent effect of the oils increased on both insect sexes with increase of oil concentration. According to the results, the essential oils of B. persicum and E. cardamomum are sources of biologically active vapor that can be used in protection of stored grains against rust-red flour beetles.
Keywords
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