International Journal of Pest Management (2015) 61, 171-178

Paraporn Yotavong, Boonsatien Boonsoong, Wanchai Pluempanupat, Opender Koul and Vasakorn Bullangpoti (2015)
Effects of the botanical insecticide thymol on biology of a braconid, Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov), parasitizing the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L.
International Journal of Pest Management 61 (2), 171-178
Abstract: Terpenes and biogenically related phenols commonly found in plant essential oils are known to be toxic to insect pests. Accordingly thymol was tested for acute toxicity via topical application to diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) and its parasitoid, Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjunov) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae under laboratory conditions. Topical application to adult female parasitoids versus second instars of P. xylostella showed that thymol was about 62 times less toxic to the parasitoid than to the host larvae with 24 h LD₅₀ of 0.052 and 0.0008M, respectively. Although thymol was less toxic to the parasitoid, some biological parameters of the progeny at sublethal doses of surviving parasitoids were impaired such as rate of emergence and development time of larvae and pupae. The impact on detoxification enzymes was also studied and there was no significant induction in cytochrome P450 and carboxylesterase activities in both treated male and female wasps. Results obtained suggest that parasitoid is able to withstand the impact of thymol significantly.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Opender Koul

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
resistance to pesticides

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Plutella xylostella
Cotesia vestalis (parasitoid)	Plutella xylostella