Chemical composition and insecticidal activity of Thuja occidentalis and Tanacetum vulgare essential oils against larvae of the lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus

Abstract

The chemical composition of the essential oils (EOs) of Thuja occidentalis L. (Cupressaceae) and Tanacetum vulgare L. (Asteraceae), obtained by steam distillation, and their insecticidal activity against larvae (10 and 20 days old) of the lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus Panzer (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), were studied. The activity of the oils was compared with the activity of their major components, aand b-thujone. Isolation, identification, and quantification of the volatile compounds were performed using a gas chromatograph (GC) coupled to a mass spectrometer (MS). The major components of T. occidentalis EO were the monoterpenoid ketones a-thujone (69.8%), b-thujone (9.5%), and fenchone (7.8%). The monoterpenoid alcohols terpinene-4-ol and p-cymene-8-ol, and the diterpenoid beyerene were only present in low amounts (<3.0%). All other compounds occurred in traces. In contrast to the thuja oil, the main compounds found in the EO of T. vulgare were b-thujone (61.0%), camphor (13.0%), and trans-chrysanthenyl acetate (6.5%). The insecticidal activity of both EOs and pure monoterpenes incorporated into a diet as acetone solutions at a concentration of 10 mg ml À1 depended on the age of A. diaperinus larvae. Young larvae displayed a higher sensitivity toward the tested chemicals than older ones. The survival of 10-day-old larvae, their body mass gain, and pupation rate were affected. The growth and development of the older larvae were similar to those of the control. In all tests, there were no significant differences between the activities of the EOs and their major components.

Plant‐Derived Substances Used Against Beetles–Pests of Stored Crops and Food–and Their Mode of Action: A Review

“…The results show if insects feed more on nontoxified food, which suggests deterrent activity of the tested substances (Boussaada et al., ). Szołyga, Gniłka, Szczepanik, and Szumny () conducted research with the usage of essential oils obtained from 2 plants, Thuja occidentalis and Tanacetum vulgare , against the lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus (Tenebrionidae). Isolated substances were provided to insects (after solvent evaporation) by incorporating them into the diet (oat flakes) as an acetone solution (10 mg/mL).…”

“…Moreover, the effect was stage‐dependent. For the 10‐day‐old insects, these substances were strong attractants and, in the same time, caused inhibition of growth, slowed development, and increased mortality (Szołyga et al., ). Research conducted on stored‐grain pests Sitophilus oryzae (Curculionidae) (Stefanazzi, Stadler, & Ferrero, ) with the usage of hexane solutions of Tagetes terniflora , Cymbopogon citratus , and Elionurus muticus essential oils showed that all essential oils had strong feeding deterrent action.…”

Comparison of chemical composition of the essential oils from different parts of Thuja occidentalis L. ‘Brabant’ and T. occidentalis L. ‘Smaragd’

“…Several papers described T. occidentalis essential oil, its chemical composition [8][9][10][11][12][13] and additional biological activities: antimicrobial [14][15][16][17] and insecticidal [18][19][20][21][22]. The following factors influence the yield and chemical composition of the oil: origin of the plants [8-12, 14, 18, 19], cultivar variety [13,15], harvest season [9,13], technique of oil isolation [8,9] and time of hydrodistillation [10].…”

Fecundity and Survival of Grain Aphid at Various Growth Stages of Waxy and Waxless Triticale

“…The chemical interactions between plants and phytophagous insects include diverse secondary metabolites. The secondary plant metabolites are an integral part of plant metabolism and play important ecological and physiological roles in chemical interactions between plants and pests [34,35]. Many of them, including fl avonoids, glucosininolates, alkaloids, cyanogenic glycosides, and furanocumarins are known as the protective agents toward various species of herbivores.…”