The Effect of Essential Oils from Laurus nobilis and Myrtus commonis on the Adults of Mediterranean Flour Moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lep.: Pyralidae)

Abstract

Today, to control of stored-product pests the gaseous chemical compound is usually used. These compounds do not have deleterious effects on non target organisms, environment pollutions, insect's resistance, toxicity to humans and other mammals. In recent years, plants essential oils have received much attention because of their insecticidal, oviposition deterency, repellent effects and antifeedant properties. This study was carried out to evaluate the repellent effects of essential oils from Laurus nobilis and Myrtus commonis against adults of Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lep: Pyralidae). Each essential oil consists of five concentrations and each concentration was repeated five times. Bioassays experiments were performed in 25°C, 65 ± 5 RH and in the dark period at the laboratory condition. The result showed that, repellency rate of this pest was significantly increased by essential oils. Repellency power of both essential oils was increased with increase of oil concentrations. Around 20.4 and 10.6 % repellency rates was observed at the lowest concentration (0.50 µl.L-1 air) of L. nobilis and M. commonis, respectively. Also at the highest concentration (2.00 µl.L-1 air) repellency rates were reached to 84.2 % by L. nobilis and 61.3 % related to M. commonis. As a result, it could be concluded that essential oils from L. nobilis and M. commonis have considerable repellent effects on E. kuehniella even at low concentrations.