Insecticidal, repellent, antimicrobial activity and phytotoxicity of essential oils: With special reference to limonene and its suitability for control of insect pests

Abstract

The interest in the use of monoterpenes for insect pest and pathogen control originates from the need for pesticide products with less negative environmental and health impacts than highly effective synthetic pesticides. The expanding literature on the possibility of the use of these monoterpenes is reviewed and focused on the effects of limonene on various bioorganisms. Limonene is used as insecticide to control ectoparasites of pet animals, but it has activity against many insects, mites, and microorganisms. Possible attractive effects of limonene to natural enemies of pests may offer novel applications to use natural compounds for manipulation of beneficial animals in organic agriculture. However, in few cases limonene-treated plants have become attractive to plant damaging insects and phytotoxic effects on cultivated plants have been observed. As a plant-based natural product limonene and other monoterpenes might have use in pest and weed control in organic agriculture after phytotoxicity on crop plants and, effects on non-target soil animals and natural enemies of pest have been investigated.

Performance of ginger grass (Lippia alba) for traits related to the production of essential oil

“…The pharmacological activities (antispasmodic, soothing, and stomach disorders) of its essential oils have triggered the interest of researchers in establishing their effects which resulted in the detection of other important properties, including the aromatic (Frighetto & Oliveira, 1998) and biological ones (Cáceres et al, 1991;Abad et al, 1997;Alea et al, 1997;Brasileiro et al, 2006). Currently L. alba is a promising plant for the pharmaceutical, aromatic, and perfume industries and may also be indicated for agricultural-chemical industries, due to its proven fungitoxic, insecticidal, and repellent properties (Dubey et al, 1983;Dwivedi & Kishore, 1990;Kishore & Mishra, 1991;Rao et al, 2000;Schwan-Estrada et al, 2000;Ibrahim et al, 2001). In addition, L. alba can be easily cultivated and has great agronomic potential, with rapid and aggressive development, clonal propagation via cuttings, and rusticity.…”

Antimicrobial activity of Mentha arvensis L. and Zingiber officinale R. essential oils

“…The secondary metabolities, such as cyanogenic glycosides, glucosinolates, terpenes, saponins, tannins, anthraquinones, and polyacetylenes also act as allelochemicals, influencing the growth and development of the neighbouring plants [22]. For example, monoterpene limonene has shown to possess deterrent and insecticide properties and carvone is used as a sprout inhibitor [12,1]. Essential oils are complex and highly variable mixtures of constituents that belong to two groups: terpenoids and aromatic compounds.…”

Effect of Temperature on the Development and Longevity ofPlanococcus ficus(Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

“…Selectivity data of 1% limonene in aqueous solution showed phytotoxic effects on ferns, gingers, and delicate flowers but caused no damage to ornamentals with thick, waxy leaves, such as palms, cycads, and orchids (Hollingsworth 2005). In addition, limonene has been shown to be phytotoxic to strawberries at concentrations exceeding 3% and cabbage and carrot seedlings at concentrations higher than 9% (Ibrahim et al 2001). Hollingworth (2005) has pointed out the significance of a good emulsion when mixing an oil (such as limonene) with a solution of an emulsifier in order to prevent the two phases of the formulation from breaking and separating more readily, which would consequently result in variability of the EO insecticidal effect on the target pest and cause phytotoxicity on the plant.…”