The chemical composition of essential oil of leaves of Piper aduncum L., growing wild in a fragment of the Atlantic Rainforest biome in northeastern Brazil, was determined through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The acaricidal activity and repellency of the essential oil and its components [dillapiole (0.28 g/ml), α-humulene (0.016 g/ml), (E)-nerolidol (0.0007 g/ml) and β-caryophyllene (0.0021 g/ml)] were evaluated in the laboratory against adults of Tetranychus urticae Koch. The mites were more susceptible to the oil in fumigation tests (LC(50) = 0.01 μl/l of air) than in contact test with closed Petri dish (LC(50) = 7.17 μl/ml); mortality was reduced by approximately 50 % in the latter test. The repellent action of the oil and toxicity by fumigation and contact did not differ significantly from the positive control (eugenol). The repellent activity was attributed to the components (E)-nerolidol, α-humulene and β-caryophyllene, whereas toxicity by fumigation and contact was attributed to β-caryophyllene. The effect of Piper oil and the role of its components regarding host plant preference with a two-choice leaf disk test are also discussed.

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In the laboratory, were evaluated the effects (residual contact and feeding deterrence) of the essential oils from the leaves of Piper aduncum, Lippia sidoides and Schinus terebinthifolius, as well as eleven selected constituents and binary blends of oils in different proportions against 3 rd instar larvae of Plutella xylostella (L.). The Piper oil demonstrated the greatest toxicity (LC 50 = 0.31 µL/mL) and feeding deterrence (DC 50 = 1.08 µL/mL) between oils tested. Dillapiole (LC 50 = 1.01 µL/mL; DC 50 = 1.10 µL/mL) and carvacrol (LC 50 = 6.03 µL/mL; DC 50 = 0.075 µL/mL) demonstrated the greatest toxicity and feeding deterrence between constituents tested, respectively. Based on the fractional effects indices for the blends, a synergistic interaction was found for the blend of the Lippia and Schinus oils at a proportion of 75 and 25%, respectively. The present fi ndings indicate that this blend could be used in the control of P. xylostella, as the literature reports populations resistant to the active ingredient in the positive control, Premio®.Further studies are needed for the development of a new botanical insecticide based on the active ingredients in oils from L. sidoides and S. terebinthifolius to improve effi ciency, stability and the cost-benefi t in the control of P. xylostella.

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