Chemical composition and bio-pesticidal values of essential oil isolated from the seed of Heracleum persicum Desf. ex Fischer (Apiaceae)

Asgar Ebadollahi,Jalal J Sendi,Ali Samadzadeh,Ebrahim A Zavieh,Asghar Nazifi,Manoochehr Farjaminezhad,Pejman Tajmiri

doi:10.5424/sjar/2014124-6527

Abstract

The present investigation was aimed to analyse the chemical composition of essential oil isolated from Heracleum persicum Desf. ex Fischer and assess its lethal and sub-lethal effects against Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). Essential oil from hydro-distilled seeds of H. persicum was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and hexyl butyrate (50.58%), octyl acetate (9.80%) and hexyl hexanoate (8.75%) were found as principal constituents. Repellent activity, contact and fumigant toxicity and antifeedant effects of this oil were assessed against the adults of T. castaneum. The essential oil strongly repelled T. castaneum adults even at the lowest concentration (0.035 μL cm-2). Complete repellency (100%) occurred when the highest concentration (0.212 μL cm-2) was applied for 8 h. T. castaneum was very susceptible to H. persicum oil at both contact and fumigant bioassays. In the fumigant toxicity, essential oil killed the larvae, pupae and adults and significantly decreased larvae emerged from treated eggs. LC10 to LC40 values of fumigation adult’s bioassay as sub-lethal concentrations were used to evaluate the antifeedant effects. H. persicum essential oil has significant antifeedant effects on T. castaneum adults and decrease of feeding happened when oil concentrations increased. The results of the present study indicate that essential oil of H. persicum, with wide bio-effects on T. castaneum, is a source of biologically active agents which may potentially prove to be efficient insecticides.

Highlights

Insect pests are a major constraint on crop production, especially in developing countries
The results of the present study indicate that essential oil of H. persicum, with wide bio-effects on T. castaneum, is a source of biologically active agents which may potentially prove to be efficient insecticides
Due to the widespread use of H. persicum as a medicinal plant and flavoring agent, and as part of the search for bio-rational alternatives to synthetic insecticides, this study aims to evaluate the effects of H. persicum essential oil as a contact and fumigant insecticide, repellent, and antifeedant against T. castaneum

Summary

Introduction

Insect pests are a major constraint on crop production, especially in developing countries. The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), is one of the most widespread and destructive stored-product insect pests throughout the world. Beetles and larvae feed on a very wide variety of dry vegetable substances, such as milled cereal products (Rees, 2004). The measures to control pest infestation in grain and dry food products rely on the use of liquid insecticides, such as organophosphates, pyrethroids and gaseous insecticides. This can lead to problems such as environmental toxicity, increasing application costs, pest resistance to pesticides, ozone layer deple-

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