Plant Essential Oils: Dual Action of Toxicity and Egg-Laying Inhibition on <i>Tetranychus urticae</i> (Acari: Tetranychidae), Unveiling Their Potential as Botanical Pesticides
Yijing Zhu,
Taoqi Wu,
Qianyu Hu,
Wenze He,
Yushi Zheng,
Yongjian Xie,
Qiong Rao,
Xunyue Liu
Affiliations
Yijing Zhu
Key Lab for Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests and Their Ecological Regulation of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Taoqi Wu
Key Lab for Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests and Their Ecological Regulation of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Qianyu Hu
Key Lab for Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests and Their Ecological Regulation of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Wenze He
Key Lab for Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests and Their Ecological Regulation of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Yushi Zheng
Key Lab for Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests and Their Ecological Regulation of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Yongjian Xie
Key Lab for Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests and Their Ecological Regulation of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Qiong Rao
Key Lab for Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests and Their Ecological Regulation of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Xunyue Liu
Key Lab for Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests and Their Ecological Regulation of Zhejiang Province, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
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.
