Efficacy of some plant essential oils against cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae) under laboratory conditions

Abstract

The cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is one of the most injurious pests of fruits, vegetables and ornamental plants worldwide, both outdoor and indoor. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the aphidicidial activity of six essential oils against the pest under laboratory conditions. The tested formulations are based on: coriander ( Coriandrum sativum ) oil, lavender ( Lavandula spica L. ) oil, fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) oil, oregano ( Origanum vulgare L.) oil, juniper ( Juniperus communis L.) oil and clove ( Syzygium aromaticum ( L. )) oil prepared as ready to use plant protection products. The products were created at the University of Food Technologies, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Chemical product Karate Zeon® at 0.03% (Lambda-cyhalothrin) was included as a standard. The mortality of pest was evaluated 24 hours after treatment. All of tested essential oils shown strong aphidicidial action.