Insecticidal Activity of Lamiaceae Plant Essential Oils and Their Constituents Against Blattella germanica L. Adult

J Econ Entomol. 2018 Apr 2;111(2):653-661. doi: 10.1093/jee/tox378.

Abstract

The insecticidal activities of 13 Lamiaceae plant oils and their components against adult German cockroaches, Blattella germanica L. (Blattodea: Blattellidae), were evaluated using fumigant and contact bioassay. Among the tested oils, basil, pennyroyal, and spearmint showed the strongest insecticidal activities against adult B. germanica. Insecticidal activity of pennyroyal was 100% against male B. germanica at 1.25 mg concentration in fumigant bioassay. Basil and spearmint revealed 100% and 100% insecticidal activity against male B. germanica at 5 mg concentration, but their activities reduced to 80% and 25% at 2.5 mg concentration, respectively. In contact, toxicity bioassay, basil, pennyroyal, and spearmint oils exhibited 100%, 100%, and 98% mortality against female B. germanica at 1 mg/♀, respectively. Among the constituents identified in basil, pennyroyal, and spearmint oils, insecticidal activity of pulegone was the strongest against male and female B. germanica.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blattellidae*
  • Female
  • Insecticides / isolation & purification*
  • Lamiaceae / chemistry*
  • Male
  • Oils, Volatile*
  • Toxicity Tests

Substances

  • Insecticides
  • Oils, Volatile