Journal of Economic Entomology (2005) 98, 1560-1565

Ranil Waliwitiya, Murray B. Isman, Robert S. Vernon and Andrew Riseman (2005)
Insecticidal activity of selected monoterpenoids and rosemary oil to Agriotes obscurus (Coleoptera: Elateridae)
Journal of Economic Entomology 98 (5), 1560-1565
Abstract: Acute toxicities of three naturally occurring monoterpenoid essential oil constituents and the essential oil of rosemary were tested against late instars of Agriotes obscurus (L.) (Coleoptera: Elateridae). Both contact and volatile toxicities of thymol, citronellal, eugenol, and rosemary oil were determined. Also, phytotoxicity of these compounds was evaluated on corn germination and seedling development. Thymol had the greatest contact toxicity (LD₅₀ = 196.0 µg/larva), whereas citronellal and eugenol were less toxic (LD₅₀ = 404.9 and 516.5 µg/larva, respectively). Rosemary oil did not show any significant contact toxicity, even at 1,600 µg/larva. In terms of volatile toxicity, citronellal was the most toxic to wireworm larvae (LC₅₀ = 6.3 µg/cm³) followed by rosemary oil (LC₅₀ = 15.9 µg/cm³), thymol (LC₅₀ = 17.1 µg/cm³), and eugenol (LC₅₀ = 20.9 µg/cm³). Thymol, eugenol, and citronellal significantly inhibited corn seed germination and development, whereas rosemary oil had only minimal phytotoxic effects.
(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): Murray B. Isman, Robert S. Vernon

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Agriotes obscurus	Maize/corn (Zea mays)