Chemical composition and insecticidal activity of essential oil from Perovskia abrotanoides (Lamiaceae) against Sitophilus oryzae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Perovskia abrotanoides Karel is a wild growing plant in Iran and has been used in traditional Iranian herbal medicine. The present study was conducted to investigate chemical composition and fumigant toxicity of the essential oil from P. abrotanoides against Sitophilus oryzae (L.) and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). Dry flowering aerial parts of the plant were subjected to hydrodistillation using a modified Clevenger-type apparatus. The composition of the essential oil was analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC mass spectrophotometry. Twenty-four compounds representing 98.8% of total oil were identified. The predominant components in the oil were camphor (28.38%) and 1,8-cineole (23.18%). Fumigant toxicity was tested against 1- to 7-day-old adults of S. oryzae and T. castaneum with five replications at 25±1°C and 65±5% relative humidity in dark conditions. The mortality was increased with concentrations of 32, 161, 322, 483 and 645μl/l air and with exposure time from 2 to 15 h. The lowest concentration (32μl/l air) of the oil induced 100% mortality of S. oryzae and T. castaneum after 15 and 8 h exposure, respectively. The oil at 322μl/l air caused 100% mortality for S. oryzae and T. castaneum within 13 and 7 h exposure, respectively. At 645μl/l air, the LT50 values (lethal time for 50% mortality) were 8 and 2.84 h for S. oryzae and T. castaneum, respectively. In the probit analysis, LC50 values (lethal concentration for 50% mortality) showed that T. castaneum (LC 50=11.39μl/l) was more susceptible than S. oryzae (LC 50=18.75μl/l). The essential oil of P. abrotanoides can play an important role in stored grain protection and reduce the need for the same, and also the risks associated with the use of synthetic insecticides. © ICIPE 2008.