Influence of Mint and Peppermint on Tetranychus urticae and Some Predacious Mites of the Family Phytoseiidae (Acari: Tetranychidae: Phytoseiidae)

Abstract

The deterrent and toxicity effects of mint, Mentha virdis L. and peppermint, Mentha piperita L. on Tetranychus urticae Koch were studied under laboratory conditions. M. virdis was more potent for T. urticae than M. piperita, with a significant increase in repellency. Leaf discs treated with increasing concentrations of both materials showed reduction in the total numbers of eggs laid. A high percentage of T. urticae mortality was recorded in case of M. virdis. The direct toxicity of both essential oils to the female of the predacious mites namely Typhlodromus athiase Porath and Swirski Phytoseius finitimus Ribaga, Amblyseius barkeri (Hughes), Amblyseius zaheri Yousef and El-Borolossy, Amblyseius yousefi Zaher and El-Borolossy and Amblyseius deleoni (Muma and Denmark) were tested. At LC 50 level, M. virdis was the most toxic to females A. yousefi and the least to females T. athiasae. With the exception of A. zaheri, M. piperita proved to be more toxic to the predacious mites tested than M. virdis. The results obtained chemically and biologically, may suggest that the higher percentage of the hydrocarbons of M. virdis were responsible for the toxic effect.

Efficacy of Some Plant Extracts on the Biological Aspects of the Two Spotted Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Prostigmata: Tetranychidae)

“…Statistically, control occupied the highest eggs laid per day (11.34 eggs) with significant differences with all treatments, Acacia 0.5 & 0.25% by 9.35 & 6.66 eggs/day respectively, while Artemisia 0.5 & 0.25% occupied the lowest mean numbers of eggs laid per day by 5.28 & 5.62 eggs/day. These results are in agreement with published literature (El-Gengaihi et al, 1996;Amer et al, 2001;Momen et al, 2001;Refaat et al, 2002;Omar et al, 2009) who demonstrated that oils from T. vulgaris, M. viridis, M. piperita, R. officinalis, M. hortensis, L. officinalis, and M. spicata caused a reduction in the total number of eggs laid by females of T. urticae.…”

Influence of Melissa officinalis essential oil and its formulation on Typhlodromips swirskii and Neoseiulus barkeri (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

“…In 1999, the above authors indicated that Rosmarinus officinalis L. essential oil was toxic to females of N. barkeri while M. hortensis was slightly toxic to the predator. The essential oil of M. piperita had more toxic effect on N. barkeri females than Mentha virdis essential oil (LC 50 =3.72 and 8.8%) respectively, but both oils were less toxic to the predator compare to Melissa oil in the present study (Momen et al, 2001). Ocimum basilicum L. essential oil had less toxic activity on N. barkeri females (LC 50 =4.18%) than Melissa oil here (Momen and Amer, 2003).…”

Acaricidal activities of some essential and fixed oils on the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae

“…Repellent effects of Rosemary oil cannot be considered as a stand-alone control method, but they can be combined with other methods to improve pest management strategies. Momen et al (2001) studied the deterrent and toxic effect of R. officinalis on the two tetranychid mites T. urticae Koch and E. orientalis Klein under laboratory conditions. Leaf discs treated with increasing concentrations of the two oils showed increased mortality of both spider mites and reduction in the total numbers of laying eggs.…”