Plant Essential Oils Synergize and Antagonize Toxicity of Different Conventional Insecticides against Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Abstract

Plant-derived products can play an important role in pest management programs. Essential oils from Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) and Thymus vulgaris (thyme) and their main constituents, linalool and thymol, respectively, were evaluated for insecticidal activity and synergistic action in combination with insecticides against green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). The essential oils and their main constituents exerted similar insecticidal activity when aphids were exposed by direct sprays, but were non-toxic by exposure to treated leaf discs. In synergism experiments, the toxicity of imidacloprid was synergized 16- to 20-fold by L. angustifolia and T. vulgaris essential oils, but far less synergism occurred with linalool and thymol, indicating that secondary constituents of the oils were probably responsible for the observed synergism. In contrast to results with imidacloprid, the insecticidal activity of spirotetramat was antagonized by L. angustifolia and T. vulgaris essential oils, and linalool and thymol. Our results demonstrate the potential of plant essential oils as synergists of insecticides, but show that antagonistic action against certain insecticides may occur.

Synergistic terpene combinations as larvicides against the dengue vector Aedes aegypti Linn.

“…Synergism reported among components of EOs, between monoterpenoids (Ma et al, 2014), EOs (Zhang et al, 2016), and synthetic chemical insecticides (Pennetier et al, 2005). Combinations of EOs or its main components with synthetic insecticides can boost the insecticidal properties of conventional insecticides and reduce the chance of development of resistance (Faraone et al, 2015).…”

Effects of Ocimum basilicum and Ruta chalepensis hydrosols on Aphis gossypii and Tetranychus urticae

“…basilicum essential oil has been found to cause a repellent effect on M . persicae , in leaf disk treatments (Faraone, Hillier, & Cutler, ). In another work, linalool was the most toxic fumigant against adults of Thrips palmi Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) (Kim et al., ).…”

“…Petrakis et al (2015) showed that the application of M. officinalis hydrosol caused a significant inhibitory effect in aphid settling compared with the control. In this respect, linalool, the primary constituent of O. basilicum essential oil has been found to cause a repellent effect on M. persicae, in leaf disk treatments (Faraone, Hillier, & Cutler, 2015).…”

Efficacy and repellency of some essential oils and their blends against larval and adult house flies, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae)

“…Pieronyl butoxide (PBO) has been found to synergize rosemary and other oils against larval Aedes aegypti (Waliwitiya et al 2009) and to synergize a component of eucalyptus oil against house fly adults (Rossi and Palacios 2015). Lavender oil synergized imidacloprid activity by 16-20 times in tests with Myzus persicae (Faraone et al 2015), and several EOs synergized carbaryl against Aedes aegypti larvae (Tong and Bloomquist 2013).…”