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Schema of experimental chamber with air inputs (with or without EOs) and zones values for preference index (PI) quantification.
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The main aim of the presented paper is to assess the potential repellent effect of selected essential oils (EOs) against the lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus), which can cause economic losses in storage and in the poultry industry. Due to the development of pesticide resistance in A. diaperinus populations, as well as an attempt to limit ext...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... tests were conducted using the setup described in the article by Baran et al. (2018) [13] ( Figure 1). Forty-eight individuals were used for a single concentration of an essential oil or a tested mixture. ...
Context 2
... the first interval, activity and exploration level were very high whereas in the second interval the locomotor activity and the exploration activity were much lower. Figure 1. Schema of experimental chamber with air inputs (with or without EOs) and zones values for preference index (PI) quantification. ...
Citations
... Additionally, research has revealed that the application of CEOs can act as a deterrent, effectively repelling pests from storage facilities and inhibiting them from establishing infestations 42,62,66,[86][87][88] . The repellent activity of these CEOs is particularly significant in deterring pests from entering storage areas, reducing the risk of infestations, and minimising potential damage to stored products 88,89 . A study by Bilal et al. 66 reported the repellent properties of C. limon EO on T. castaneum (Herbst), a common pest in stored flour products. ...
Insect pests pose significant threats to stored food products, leading to substantial economic losses and compromising food safety and security. Using synthetic pesticides to manage these pests raises serious concerns regarding environmental degradation and human health risks. Conversely, essential oils derived from citrus species have emerged as promising alternatives for pest management in stored food items, demonstrating effectiveness while offering safety and environmental benefits. These bio-sourced oils are biodegradable and exhibit minimal toxicity to humans and beneficial organisms. However, challenges remain, including the variability in pest control efficacy, sustainability of the sourcing of these essential oils, and potential ecological consequences associated with their use. Despite these limitations, citrus essential oils (CEOs) present a viable, natural, and sustainable strategy for controlling storage pests, enhancing food security and promoting environmental conservation. To maximise the potential of CEOs in pest management, further research is essential. This includes optimising application methodologies, investigating alternative modes of action, and developing innovative delivery systems that enhance both efficacy and sustainability. An extensive literature review on the insecticidal properties of citrus essential oils was conducted using electronic databases such as Scopus, EBSCOhost, and ScienceDirect, focusing on their effectiveness against pests associated with stored food products.
... The combination of different PEO can enhance their overall efficacy, often showing a synergistic effect. Francikowski et al. [130] evaluated various essential oils, including mint, vanilla, lemon, and citronella, and found that mixtures of oils, particularly a 1:1 combination of lemon and vanilla, had a stronger repellent effect than the individual oils. Citronella oil was highly effective, with strong repellency at both low and high concentrations (1% and 10%). ...
The lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus) is a significant pest in poultry facilities, transmitting pathogens such as Salmonella and causing structural damage in poultry operations. Challenges such as insecticide resistance and environmental concerns associated with the widespread use of traditional insecticides underscore the need for sustainable alternatives. This review examines biological and sustainable management strategies for managing the lesser mealworm, including entomopathogenic fungi, bacteria, nematodes, plant essential oils-extracts, pheromones, and diatomaceous earth. These eco-friendly approaches highlight fungi and nematodes for their effectiveness in larval control and essential oils for their insecticidal and repellent properties. The application of pheromones and diatomaceous earth further complements other methods within integrated pest management (IPM) systems. Integrating these biological tools into IPM offers a sustainable and effective solution for reducing A. diaperinus populations, addressing both health and environmental concerns.
... The above terpenoid compounds present in the essential oils, whether monoterpenes or sesquiterpenes, are synthesised mainly either via the methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway or mevalonate-dependent (MVA) pathway, and show potential insecticidal activity, especially against stored grain pests, due to their volatile nature [58]. The use of essential oils extracted from aromatic plants to manage insect pests have increased considerably due to their repellent, insecticidal, antifeedant, growth inhibitor, oviposition inhibitor, etc., properties on a variety of insect pests [59][60][61][62][63]. Aromatic plant families, viz., asterace, cupressaceae, lamiaceae, lauraceace, rutacea, myrtaceae, piperaceae, and poaceae, have been extensively exploited for their essential oils for insecticidal activities [61,[64][65][66][67]. Due to the volatile nature of essential oils, these are most commonly investigated against stored grain insect pests, especially coleopteran insect pests [58]. ...
Lantana camara is weed with a wide range of chemical constituents, including primary and secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and terpenoids. These compounds contribute to its medicinal and pesticidal potential. The essential oils and different solvent fractions derived from L. camara exhibit notable variations in their respective chemical compositions across various plant parts, spatial distributions, and interspecific comparisons. The principal components, notably lantadene A, lantadene B, lantadene C, lantadene D, β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, and several others, constitute a significant portion of the essential oil derived from the leaves and flowers. Researchers have discovered that L. camara oil exhibits potent insecticidal activity against a range of pests, with variations in potency observed across different seasons due to changes in chemical composition. In addition to the essential oils, solvent extracts of L. camara, primarily methanolic extracts of the leaves of this species, demonstrate considerable potential as fumigant and contact toxins for stored grain pests. However, these have been comparatively less characterized with respect to their insecticidal properties, particularly in comparison to the essential oils. Molecular docking studies have demonstrated that phytochemical compounds present in the plants interfere with the activity of several enzymes that are responsible for the growth and survival of insects. For example, compounds such as β-caryophyllene and linalool exhibited a high binding affinity to AChE, thereby enhancing its neurotoxic effects. In conclusion, this review identifies L. camara as a natural insecticide with a complex set of modes of action attributed to its rich phytochemical profile. The integration of traditional knowledge with modern molecular techniques might expose avenues for the sustainable management of pests and control, ultimately making L. camara a key resource for such applications. Further studies are necessary to characterize such bioactive compounds and their uses in controlling pests in agricultural operations.
... Control mortality adjustments were applied following Abbott's (1925) formula when control mortality ranged between 5 and 20%. The concentration-mortality response of two R. officinalis EOs on T. castaneum adults in terms of contact and fumigant toxicity was assessed through probit analysis (Finney 1971), providing the median lethal concentration (LC 50 ) value and associated parameters. The repellent effect was measured using the repellence index (RI), WANNA AND BOZDO GAN: Essential Oil against Tribolium castaneum 5 calculated as RI ¼ 2T/(TþC), where T is the percentage of T. castaneum in the treatment bottle and C is the percentage in the alternative bottle. ...
... This aligns with prior findings highlighting R. officinalis EO as an effective fumigant for preventing and controlling various insect pests, including T. castaneum, Tribolium confusum Jacquelin, Cadra cautella Walker, and Callosobruchus chinesis L. (Isikber et al. 2006, Lee et al. 2002, Sim et al. 2009, Trivedi et al. 2017. The repellent effect against diverse insect types also has been documented (Francikowski et al. 2019). This efficacy is attributed to the composition of EOs, mainly monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids, acting as fast-acting poisons affecting insect neurotransmitters and interacting with various receptors (Isman 2019). ...
Rosemary essential oil (EO), from Rosmarinus officinalis L. (Lamiales: Lamiaceae), has potent properties against stored insect pests. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of EOs from both manually extracted and commercially produced R. officinalis, as well as the main compound 1,8-cineole, against adults of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Chemical analysis of the R. officinalis EOs was conducted using a gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer. Toxicity and repellent effects were assessed through contact and fumigation bioassays in a factorial experimental design with five replicates. Each R. officinalis EO type showed nine major compounds (>90%), with 1,8-cineol as the predominant component (>52%). Contact toxicity bioassays showed 1,8-cineole had a median lethal concentration of 1.12% at 48 h, 1.54% for manually extracted EOs, and 1.64% for commercially produced R. officinalis EOs. Furthermore, 0.5% of 1,8-cineole displayed strong contact efficacy against T. castaneum. Fumigant toxicity was observed at 140.07, 127.28, and 121.52 μl/L air, respectively. Manually extracted EO at 160 μl/L air demonstrated strong fumigant efficacy against T. castaneum, acting as a contact (66–94%) and fumigant (82–69%) repellent within 8 h, outperforming commercially produced EO and 1,8-cineole. These findings highlight the potential of manually extracted EO from R. officinalis as a natural insecticide, effective in both contact and fumigation against T. castaneum. This offers a promising avenue for using plant extracts in storage pest prevention, potentially leading to the development of insecticide products.
... In the study of Shahriari et al. (2017), protein, glycogen, and triglyceride amounts post-harvest storage because of their effectiveness as repellents against stored grain pests (Mishra et al. 2012). It was suggested that the behavior of insects may change due to exposure to EO, which could impact insecticidal effectiveness (Francikowski et al. 2019). The repellent properties of C. sempervirens against Sitophilus zeamais and Tribolium confusum were previously reported to be stronger than those of cymol (Tapondjou et al. 2005). ...
The seeds and leaves of Cupressus sempervirens essential oils were evaluated against the khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium at different concentrations. Mortality, repellence activity, adult emergence rate, larvae chemical profile (protein contents and energy reserves), seed germination effect, and grain damage were assessed. The results of phytochemical screening of C. sempervirens leaf and seed demonstrated the presence of saponins, flavonoids, leucoanthocyanins, cat¬echetical tannins, and gallic tannins. We identified eighty-two (82) compounds for leaves and seventy-four (74) for seeds by GC/MS. The major compounds for leaf and seed EOs were α-pinene (33.65% and 26.53%), δ-3-Carene (14.78% and 19.48%) and terpinolene (4.25% and 4.13%), respectively. C. sempervirens exhibited fumigant toxicity and repellent activity as a function the concentrations. C. sempervirens leaves was most potent both in adult emergence (66.94%) and germination rate (99%) compared to seeds oil. Furthermore, the seed and leaf oils significantly reduced seed damage. Finally, the treatments induced an alteration of the biochemical profile via a decrease in energy reserves and protein content. The data obtained suggest that the toxicity of EO by fumigation could be explained by an alteration of insect metabolism via food uptake and digestion.
... Lemongrass and patchouli EOs exhibited little acaricidal activity against Tetranychus cinnabarinus, while a combination of pepper EO, mint EO, and avermectin demonstrated a significant synergistic enhancement effect [36]. Lemon EO exhibited a good repellent effect against the stored-product pest Alphitobius diaperinus, with an even stronger repellent effect observed when it was combined in a 1:1 ratio with lemongrass EO [37]. ...
Tetranychus urticae, a prominent pest mite in strawberry and vegetable cultivation in China, has developed escalating resistance due to extensive chemical pesticide application. Consequently, there is an urgent need to identify safe and efficacious methods to reduce resistance development. In this study, 38 commercially available plant essential oils (EOs) were screened for their acaricidal potential and ability to inhibit oviposition. The findings revealed that 13 EOs exhibited notable acaricidal activity, with lemon EO demonstrating the highest toxicity, followed by sage, patchouli, frankincense, lemongrass, palmarosa, and oregano EOs. In addition, 18 EOs displayed significant inhibitory effects on oviposition, with lemon EO exhibiting the highest inhibition rate (99.15%) and inhibition index (0.98). Subsequently, sage, frankincense, clove, lemongrass, oregano, patchouli, myrrh, black pepper, palmarosa, and geranium EOs also showed inhibition rates exceeding 50%. Despite black pepper, clove, myrrh, and oregano EOs demonstrating relatively low toxicity against T. urticae, they exhibited heightened efficacy in inhibiting oviposition and suppressing population expansion. This study conducted a comparative assessment of the acaricidal and oviposition inhibition activities of EOs and their principal constituents, thus providing a theoretical basis for the development of botanical acaricides against T. urticae.
... Natural plant extracts and essential oils are also a major research topic, due to their multiple health benefits, which include antioxidant, antimutagenic, antiproliferative, or antimicrobial activities [14,15]; some of them-like citronella (lemongrass) essential oil-are classified as non-toxic biopesticides in the USA [16] while having a strong antifungal activity [17]. The antimicrobial activity of each essential oil derives from one or two main components. ...
One major problem with the overuse of antibiotics is that the microorganisms acquire resistance; thus the dose must be increased unsustainably. To overcome this problem, researchers from around the world are actively investigating new types of antimicrobials. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) have been proven to exhibit strong antimicrobial effects; moreover, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) considers ZnO as GRAS (generally recognized as safe). Many essential oils have antimicrobial activity and their components do not generate resistance over time. One of the drawbacks is the high volatility of some components, which diminishes the antimicrobial action as they are eliminated. The combination of ZnO NPs and essential oils can synergistically produce a stronger antimicrobial effect, and some of the volatile compounds can be retained on the nanoparticles’ surface, ensuring a better-lasting antimicrobial effect. The samples were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), and thermal analysis (TG-DSC) coupled with analysis of evolved gases using FTIR. The ZnO NPs, with a size of ~35 nm, exhibited a loading between 1.44% and 15.62%—the lower values were specific for limonene-containing oils (e.g., orange, grapefruit, bergamot, or limette), while high values were obtained from cinnamon, minzol, thyme, citronella, and lavender oils—highlighting differences among non-polar terpenes and alcohol or aldehyde derivatives. The antibacterial assay indicated the existence of a synergic action among components and a high dependency on the percentage of loaded oil. Loaded nanoparticles offer immense potential for the development of materials with specific applications, such as wound dressings or food packaging. These nanoparticles can be utilized in scenarios where burst delivery is desired or when prolonged antibacterial activity is sought.
... The current effective insecticide in the market is Actellic gold dust and DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) [5]. Gold synthetic repellent DEET blocks the odorant receptors neurons that detect plant odors in herbivorous insects' antennae [6]. Actellic gold dust has two active ingredients: Thiamethoxam, which inhibits the acetylcholinesterase enzyme that is critical in the hydrolysis of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular synapses and at cholinergic synapses preventing transmission of subsequent impulse between neurons [7]. ...
... However, the use of synthetic insecticides has received a jolt from different parts of the world due to the environmental and health damage they impose [9]. Indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides can give rise to problems of resistance, resurgence of insect pests and adverse effects on non-targets organisms, making their management a complicated issue for smallholder farmers [6]. Botanical insecticides, which are plant derivatives, may offer a suitable alternative strategy to synthetic insecticides [10] as they are environmentally friendly, often species-specific, cheap, biodegradable hence less susceptible to insect resistance and non-toxic to humans. ...
Sitophilus zeamais causes significant losses to maize produce worldwide. The use of biodegradable and environmentally friendly botanicals as an alternative to synthetic pesticides is increasingly becoming important. Therefore, we sought to determine the use of plant extract formulations to manage S. zeamais during storage. Crude Zanthroxylum usambarense and Warburgia ugandensis stembark extracts were used for contact toxicity and repellent bioassays against S. zeamais. The formulations that exhibited the highest repellence and mortality were tested for insecticidal activity during storage for six months. Phytochemical profiles of the extracts were determined using GC-MS, and molecular docking of active compounds against insect target proteins was done. Mortality analyses revealed LD50 values of 114.89 µg/mL and 197.19 µg/mL for Z. usambarense’s hexane and methanol organic extracts, respectively. Warburgia ugandensis extracts had LD50 values of 69.25 µg/mL and 163.52 µg/mL, respectively. Extract formulations achieved weevil perforation index values of <50.00 in all treatments. The docking analysis showed the pesticidal potential of several compounds, and mortality could be attributed to Eugenol (19.28%), 1,8-cineole (5.78%) and Linalool (21.42%). The tested botanicals have demonstrated their ability to suppress S. zeamais development in stored maize and could be utilized to protect maize grains during storage.
... Essential oils have several features that make them good candidates for the development of biopesticides (Pavela, 2015;Fierascu et al., 2020). Firstly, because of their plant origin, which makes them widely available, easily biodegradable in the environment, safe for vertebrates (including humans), and most importantly, effective repellents and insect control agents (Francikowski et al., 2019). It is also not less important that essential oils are present in parts of useful plants that are usually not processed and not used for consumption, such as leaves, peels, cobs, and straw; therefore, it is possible to use waste in the production of biopesticides, i. e., zero waste approach. ...
... The available data show that essential oils can disrupt the cell wall and cell membrane leading to cell lysis and leakage of intracellular content (Devi et al., 2010;Tian et al., 2012;Bajpai et al., 2013). Some of them have a neurotoxic activity against insects by inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) (Francikowski et al., 2019), or, as carvacrol and thymol, by acting as allosteric modulators of GABA receptors that mediate the neurotransmission in the insect nervous system (Tong and Coats, 2010). Moreover, essential oils can cause various malformations in exposed organisms. ...
Modern agriculture has many environmental consequences, such as soil contamination, accumulation of toxic compounds in the environment or risk of adverse effects on nontarget organisms and for these reasons, scientists are seeking a more environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic insecticides. This study investigated the effects of four plant secondary metabolites classified as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which have potential as bioinsecticides, (E)-2-decenal, furfural, 2-undecanone and (E,E)-2-4-decadienal, in concentrations 10-5 and 10-7 M, on female reproductive processes and larval hatchability of the Tenebrio molitor beetle. Our study indicates proper development of ovaries after application of compounds however the volume of terminal oocytes was significantly reduced, with the strongest effect of (E)- 2-decenal which reduced the volume approximately three times. The relative vitellogenin expression level was reduced, with the strongest effect observed after application of furfural, (E,E)- 2-4-decadienal and (E)- 2-decenal in concentration 10-7 M, at the same time patency index was significantly reduced up to 2-times after application of furfural at 10-7 M. What is more important morphological changes translated into physiological ones. The number of laid eggs was affected, with the strongest inhibition after application of furfural (∼43% reduction), (E,E)- 2-4-decadienal (∼33%) and (E)- 2-decenal at concentration 10-7 M (∼33%). Moreover, we observed up to 13% (in case of 2-undecanone) decrease in larval hatchability. Tested compounds exhibited a repellent effect and caused 60% reduction of insect survivability after (E)- 2-decenal at concentration 10-5 M. Altogether, VOCs seems like potential bioactive compounds in plant protection.
... Diatomaceous earth can decrease population growth of A. diaperinus compared to untreated houses but does not display the lethality or population reduction of synthetic insecticides and may be more suited to maintaining control of already low populations (Oliveira et al. 2017). Select essential oils such as lemon and citronella have been shown to repel (but not directly kill) A. diaperinus and could be paired with trapping methods that utilize a push-pull system (Francikowski et al. 2019). The options available to control A. diaperinus are limited and as resistance to synthetic insecticides grows more common, more diverse and effective methods are becoming necessary. ...
... A push and pull system using synthetic A. diaperinus alarm and aggregation pheromones to direct beetles and larvae into pitfall traps dramatically improved the beetle yield compared to un-baited traps (Hassemer et al. 2019). Lemon and citronella essential oils have also been found to have a repelling effect on A. diaperinus and could serve a similar function (Francikowski et al. 2019). ...
Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), the lesser mealworm, is a ubiquitous generalist
pest of poultry broiler and layer facilities, originating in southern Africa and now found worldwide. They spend their full life cycle within the litter and manure of poultry, causing structural damage to poultry houses, injuring birds, and acting as a reservoir for several avian pathogens, notably Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli. Management commonly consists of spraying walls and floors of poultry houses with organophosphates, pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, or spinosyns between flocks, and periodic removal and replacement of litter. Populations have been observed to become resistant to specific insecticides after ca. 10 yr of consistent use and exhibit cross resistance to insecticides of the same mode of action. Alternative cultural and biological control methods have been identified but are not currently implemented. More research is needed regarding the economic impact of A. diaperinus, the mechanisms of its insecticide resistance, and patterns and mechanisms of colonization for effective integrated pest management programs to be devised and implemented.
