Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
FRESENIUS ENVIRONMENTAL BULLETIN, cilt.27, sa.5A, ss.3231-3235, 2018 (SCI-Expanded)
The citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri (Risso) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is one of the most important pests in citrus groves, however, it has recently caused considerable damages to some cut flowers (especially, roses) grown in greenhouses in southwestern Turkey (Antalya). In this study, fumigant activity of essential oils extracted from anise (Pimpinella anistun L.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), peppermint (Mentha piperita L.), Turkish oregano (Origantii onites L.) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) was investigated against female adults of the pest under laboratory conditions. In fumigant bioassays, four different concentrations (0.625, 1.25, 2.5 and 5.0 mu L/L air) of essential oils and only one exposure period (24 h) were used. An untreated control set was also included. The results from the study revealed that all the essential oils tested showed a fumigant activity in varying degrees, and the mortality was dose-dependent. Based on the highest concentration (5 mu L/L air), the essential oil from O. onites was found the most toxic with a mortality of 91.4% and followed by the oils from T. vulgaris (90.9%) and P. anismn (89.2%). R. officinalis essential oil exhibited a moderate toxicity (71.2%) whereas M. piperita essential oil had the lowest fumigant activity against the pest. The LC50 values of the Turkish oregano, thyme, anise, rosemary and peppermint essential oils ranged from 1.17 to 3.27 mu L/L air. No phytotoxic symptoms were observed on small potted-roses exposed to the highest concentration of essential oils except for M. piperita essential oil that was found to be toxic to opened buds of roses, but not to unopened ones. Overall results suggest that the essential oils tested in the present study (especially, O. onites, T. vulgaris and P. anisum) may be eco-friendly alternatives of synthetic insecticides in controlling P. citri in greenhouse-grown cut flowers.