Parasitology Research (2009) 105, 769-773

Antonios Michaelakis, Dimitrios Papachristos, Athanasios Kimbaris, George Koliopoulos, Athanasios Giatropoulos and Moschos G. Polissiou (2009)
Citrus essential oils and four enantiomeric pinenes against Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae)
Parasitology Research 105 (3), 769-773
Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of pinenes (entantiomers of alpha- and ß-) and essential oils from Greek plants of the Rutaceae family against the mosquito larvae of Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae). Essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation from fruit peel of orange (Citrus sinensis L.), lemon (Citrus limon L.), and bitter orange (Citrus aurantium L.). The chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. Citrus essential oils contained in high proportion limonene and in lower quantities p-menthane molecules and pinenes. The insecticidal action of these essential oils and entantiomers of their pinenes on mosquito larvae was evaluated. Plant essential oils exhibited strong toxicity against larvae with the LC₅₀ values ranging from 30.1 (lemon) to 51.5 mg/L (orange) depending on Citrus species and their composition. Finally, the LC₅₀ value of pinenes ranging from 36.53 to 66.52 mg/L indicated an enantioselective toxicity only for the ß-pinene entantiomer.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Antonios Michaelakis, Dimitrios P. Papachristos, Moschos G. Polissiou

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.
	Culex pipiens