The Effect of Rosmarinus officinalis Essential Oil Fumigation on Biochemical, Behavioral, and Physiological Parameters of Callosobruchus maculatus

Michał Krzyżowski; Bartosz Baran; Bartosz Łozowski; Jacek Francikowski

doi:10.3390/insects11060344

The Effect of Rosmarinus officinalis Essential Oil Fumigation on Biochemical, Behavioral, and Physiological Parameters of Callosobruchus maculatus

Insects. 2020 Jun 3;11(6):344. doi: 10.3390/insects11060344.

Authors

Michał Krzyżowski¹, Bartosz Baran¹, Bartosz Łozowski¹, Jacek Francikowski¹

Affiliation

¹ Laboratory of Insect Physiology and Ethology, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-007 Katowice, Poland.

Abstract

This study explores the influence of rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis (L.) essential oil (EO) on the biochemical (acetylcholinesterase, catalase, and glutathione S-transferase), physiological (oxygen consumption), and behavioral (open field test, repellency) parameters of an important stored product insect: cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.). R. officinalis EO exhibited effective insecticidal action against C. maculatus even at relatively low concentrations. LC₅₀ = 15.69 μL/L air, and was highly repellent at concentrations equal to or above LC₂₅. Statistically significant inhibition in locomotor activity occurred only after the acute exposure to the EO at LC_12.5 and LC₂₅. The oxygen consumption test showed metabolism increase only at LC₅₀. An increase in activity was observed in the case of all three enzymes examined. The presented data provides a potentially valuable resource in designing more environmentally friendly and safer insecticide agents.

Keywords: AChE; CAT; GST; enzyme activity; insecticide; locomotor activity; repellent effect; stored product protection.