Bioactivity of essential oils for the management of Tetranychus urticae Koch and selectivity on its natural enemy Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor): A promising combination for agroecological systems

Abstract

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, causes damage to crops grown in northeast Brazil. The adoption of biological control methods and curative methods (plant-based insecticides) is an essential practice for pest management in agroecological systems. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the chemical properties, toxicity, and ovicidal activity of essential oils (EOs) from Lippia sidoides, Croton rhamnifolioides, Croton grewioides, Citrus sinensis, Citrus limon, Citrus aurantiifolia and Piper divaricatum for the control of T. urticae and determine the selectivity of these EOs regarding the predator mite Neoseiulus californicus. The chemical analysis (gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) of the EOs enabled the identification of 98 compounds. The major constituents were carvacrol (L. sidoides), β-caryophyllene (C. rhamnifolioides), (E)-anethole (C. grewioides), limonene (Citrus spp.), safrole and methyl eugenol (P. divaricatum). All oils exhibited satisfactory toxicity to the eggs and females of T. urticae and were even more toxic than the commercial product Azamax. The L. sidoides oil exhibited greater toxicity compared to the other oils, with LC50 values of 0.05 and 0.09 µL mL-1 for females and eggs, respectively. All oils tested were selective to N. californicus, with RS values ranging from 3.61 to 23.28 for C. aurantiifolia and C. grewioides, respectively. Therefore, the use of products based on the EOs studied in combination with the natural enemy N. californicus is a viable option in agroecological systems for the management of T. urticae.

Lethal and sublethal effects of carlina oxide on Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

“…20,21 Among botanical products, essential oils (EOs) and their bioactive constituents have been reevaluated in past years as promising pesticides. [22][23][24] EOs biocidal effects have been studied on many important arthropod pests such as tephritids, [25][26][27][28][29][30][31] ambrosia beetles, 32 mites, ticks 17,[33][34][35][36] , and on weeds. 37,38 Moreover, the high worldwide production of plant EOs for perfume and flavoring, makes them suitable from a commercial point of view.…”

Effects of water-based extracts of peppermint ( Mentha piperita L.) and French marigold (T agetes patula L.) on the transformation of larvae and nymphs of two-spotted spider mite ( Tetranychus urticae Koch)

“…Studies on the effects of various botanical extracts on spider mites (Tetranychidae) intensified in the 1980s and are continuing. Extracts obtained from the above-ground and underground parts of plants have lethal effects on spider mites, act as repellents and inhibit oviposition (Ebadollahi et al 2014;De Carvalho Ribeiro et al 2016;Pavela et al 2018;Premalatha et al 2018;Topuz et al 2018;Rincón et al 2019;Bhullar et al 2021;De Santana et al 2021). More than 100 plant species representing many botanical families, mainly Asteraceae, have been tested so far for their effectiveness against T. urticae (Camilo et al 2017;Agut et al 2018).…”