Insecticidal activity of two formulations of essential oils against the cereal leaf beetle

ABSTRACTPurpose: Plant-derived essential oils and their encapsulations have recently received increasing interest as an alternative to synthetic biopesticides suitable for integrated pest management and organic farming. In this study, combinations of essential oils (EO) from Rosmarinus officinalis with Cymbopogon citratus and Pelargonium graveolens with Thymus vulgaris in two formulations including encapsulate were tested for their potential for wheat protection against adults and larvae of Oulema melanopus (L.).Materials and methods: The chemical composition of the essential oils was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Testing of insecticidal activity of the evaluated substances was conducted with 2.5 ml of tested combinations of EOs sprayed on the paper. Ten adults or larvae of O. melanopus were placed into a vessel. Control of mortality of O. melanopus specimens was assessed after 24 h after establishment of the experiment.Results and conclusions: Tarsal contact toxicity assay sho...