Efficacy of five volatile oils and their mixtures against the soft scale insect, Saissetia coffeae (Walker) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) infesting the Sago palm, Cycas revoluta in Alexandria, Egypt

Five tested plant volatile oils and their mixtures were evaluated for controlling the coccid, Saissetia coffeae (Walker) on growing Sago palms Cycas revoluta in Antoniades public gardens, Alexandria, Egypt. The tested volatile oils at concentration rates of 0.5, 1 and 1.5% (v/v) were: Camphor 20%, Dill 20%, Rose 30%, Peppermint 20% and Clove 30% (v/v). Their mixtures were : Camphor/Peppermint, Camphor/Rose at a rate of 1:1, Camphor/Rose/Peppermint at 1:1:2 rate and Camphor/Rose/Dill at 2:1:1 rate. The results, as a general mean of residual reduction percent for the whole inspection intervals of the test lasted 2 days up to 9 days post treatment, indicated that the superior volatile oils in reducing the insect were both Camphor and Rose, followed by Dill, Peppermint and the least efficient one was the Clove oil. The evaluated mixtures of the volatile oils showed that each of Camphor/Rose/Peppermint, Camphor/Rose and Camphor/Peppermint mixtures attained a higher rank of efficiency against that of the assigned soft scale insect.