ISSN: 0973-7510
E-ISSN: 2581-690X
The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of essential oils extracted from Rosmarinus officinalis and Artemisia herba-alba on A. obtectus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). Compounds known for their insecticidal properties are a-pinene and camphor.
The bioassays on bruchids have been made in laboratory conditions (temperature and relative humidity respectively maintained at 27°C and 75%). The essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation (yield of 0.6% for Rosmarinus officinalis and 0.83% for Artemisia herba-alba). The doses used were 1 to 5 µL/ 30g seed for the essential oil of each plant.
The results show that the two tested essential oils are very toxic for the adults A.obtectus, as they also cause a significant reduction in fertility by bruchids. The LD50 calculates after
48 hours of exposure, shows that the essential oils toxicity are partly variable. The oil extracted from Rosmarinus officinalis is the most toxic to adults with LD50 = 0.59 µL/30g seed, against LD50 = 1.69 µ L/30g seeds for Artemisia herba-alba.
Acanthoscelides obtectus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Artemisia herba-alba, essential oils, insecticidal activity
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