Chemical composition and insecticidal properties of Lantana camara L. leaf essential oils from Algeria

Abstract

Essential oils extracted from Lantana camara were tested for fumigant activity against Sitophilus granarius adults. Composition of L. camara essential oil included large amounts of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, mainly β-caryophyllene. The bioactivity of the essential oil extracted by hydrodistillation from leaves of L. camara was assessed under laboratory conditions. With fumigation bioassays, essential oils showed different activities on S. granarius. April essential oil, after 24 hours of exposure, exerted the highest activity. Similar results were obtained for February and June essential oils after 48 hours of exposure, although December essential oil showed good fumigant activity after 96 hours of exposure. The persistence of the insecticidal efficiency of the essential oil (remanence tests) against S. granarius adults confirmed that June essential oil was efficient for 2 weeks. Even if laboratory bioassays are only the first step towards the use of essential oils in practical applications, these substances represent a possible alternative to chemical insecticides in some market places.