Terpene Rich Essential Oil of Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss as Efficient Alternative to Synthetic Chemicals in Management of Callosobruchus maculatus Fabricius

Abstract

The application of plant-derived essential oils has been revealed to proficiently insect pest control agents, meaningfully decreasing the side-effects caused by chemical insecticides. In the present study, the toxicity of essential oil isolated from Dracocephalum kotschyi has been assessed against cowpea weevil (Callosobruchus maculatus Fabricius) as one of the most damaging and cosmopolitan insect pest of stored beans. The other objective of current study was to identify the chemical composition of D. kotschyi essential oil as one of the medicinal plants endemic to Iran. Bioassays results revealed sound fumigant toxicity of essential oil, in which a concentration of 16.41 μl/l produced up to 50% insect mortality after 72 h. Increases in concentrations of the essential oil and exposure times augmented the insect susceptibility so that the highest mortality (96.25%) was achieved at a highest tested concentration (44.12 μl/l) after 72 h. A concentration of 44.12 μl/l was enough to achieve the 50% mortality of tested insects within 10.761 h. The 24 h-LC₅₀ value of essential oil was 24.947 μl/l which decreased to 17.794 μl/l after 72 h. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the essential oil exposed terpenes including geranyl acetate, citral, z-citral, methyl geranate, limonene, α-pinene and α-campholenal were the main components. Based on the results of present study, the terpene rich essential oil of D. kotschyi may be  considered as promising alternative to the synthetic chemicals for C. maculatus management.

Keywords: Callosobruchus maculatus, chemical profile, essential oil, Dracocephalum kotschyi, toxicity.