Fumigant toxicity of the essential oil derived from Carum copticum C.B. Clarke (Apiaceae) were assessed against growth stages of Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Seeds of the plant were collected from Tehran, Iran and hydrodistilled to extract their essential oil. The essential oil was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Thymol (64.51%), γ-terpinene (17.52%) and p-cymene (16.16%) were the main components among the eight constituents characterized in the oil, representing 98.19% of the total components detected.All bioassay tests were conducted at 25 ± 1°C, 65±5% RH and photoperiod of 16:8 h (light:dark). After These findings indicated that essential oil from seeds of C. copticum could have potential of practical value for application in management of the Indian meal moth in storage.

Genetically manipulated food barley, Hordeum vulgare L. var. valfajr, was compared to commercial-grade starch as carbon sources in groundnut and soybean based media for supporting growth, sporulation and delta-endotoxin production by Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner B. thuringiensis kurstaki HD-1 and a promising newly isolated B. thuringiensis strain (referred to as BTA) were used. MgCl 2 , CaCl 2 , and MnCl 2 were used as trace-elements. Culture media were compared in shaken flasks and then in 5 l Fermentors. Biomass, delta-endotoxin levels and the number of spores as colony forming units (CFU) were evaluated. For each of the two strains, biomass and delta-endotoxin synthesis were not significantly different in soybean-based media after substitution starch by barley flour. There were significant differences between the two strains with respect to biomass and toxin production. Evaluated costs of media preparation showed that food barley is an economical alternative to commercial-grade starch in the production of BTA bioinsecticide.

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