Effect of Mentha piperita and Cuminum cyminum essential oil on Tribolium castaneum and Sitophilus oryzae

Essential oils are one of the known plant materials for insect pest control. The studies about essential oils application for control of insect pest population has been started in recent years. This study aims to investigate repellency effect and fumigant toxicity of Mentha piperita and Cuminum cyminum essential oil on Tribolium castaneum and Sitophilus oryzae. The results showed that the mortality rate of adult insects was increased with increase in essential oil concentration. The highest pest mortality rate in the case of M. piperita and C. cyminum on T. castaneum and S. oryzae was 64, 68, 82 and 78%, respectively. The average insect mortality was significantly different in various concentrations in most of the treatments. Amounts of LC₅₀ were 0.421, 0.271, 0.135 and 0.136 (ml/ml) for M. piperita and C. cyminum essential oil on T. castaneum and S. oryzae, respectively. Different concentrations of M. piperita and C. cyminum essential oil had different repellency effect on T. castaneum and S. oryzae. Repellency effect was increased with increase in essential oil concentration, and the highest repellency effect was belonged to the highest concentration. Essential oils of M. piperita and C. cyminum caused 61.2 and 66.4% repellency on T. castaneum. Meanwhile, their effect was found to be 55.2 and 60.4% repellency on S. oryzae at the highest concentration.