Synergistic Effect of Three Medicinal Plant Extracts and Their Nutritional Indices on the Tribolium castaneum Herbst and Ephestia kuehniella Zeller

Abstract

Chemical control of stored pests causes environmental pollution, contamination of stored products and endangering human health. Botanical compounds are one of the suitable alternatives for this aim. In this study effects of eucalyptus, rosemary and mentha extracts alone and in mixed of them on T. castaneum and E. kuehniella were evaluated. Due to our research, the most effect of rosemary extract on the T. castaneum adult, and eucalyptus on the 3rd and 4th instars larvae of E. kuehniella observed. The most significant synergetic on the T. castaneum adult was the combination of ME, MR and ER. Also, the most synergetic effect of extracts on the 3rd and 4th instar larvae of E. kuehniella were related to ME, and MR and ME respectively. The lowest amount of T. castaneum adult Feeding deterrence percentage indices (FDI) and Approximately Digestibility (AD) were observed in rosemary extract and the lowest amount of Efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI), Relative consumption rate (RCR) and The Relative growth rate (RGR) was related to eucalyptus extract. The lowest amount of E. kuehniella larvae FDI was observed in rosemary extract and the lowest amount of ECI, RGR and AD was related to eucalyptus extract. Therefore, these botanical extracts can be used to control these two important stored pests.