Effects of cumin extract and the essential oil of Cuminum cyminum L. and Rosmarinus officinalis L. on some immature life stages of Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) (Lep: Pyralidae)

Due to the limitation of using poisons in controlling storage pests and the risk of creating intoxication by chemical poisons for endotherms, the need to use poisons with lower risk such as plant compounds is felt more than before. Plant extracts and essential oils are consistent with nature and they could be used in foodstuff for pest control. In this study, the respiratory toxicity of essential oils of Cuminum cyminum L. and Rosmarinus officinalis L. and oral toxicity of C. cyminum extract were examined on Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller). Extraction from C. cyminum was done by the alcoholic method and essential oils of C. cyminum and R. officinalis were extracted using Clevenger apparatus. The C. cyminum extract was provided for pests through food plates, but essential oils were used by fumigation method. The experiments were performed in controlled laboratory conditions at a temperature of 27±1ºC and a relative humidity of 50±5% and a photoperiod of 14 hours of light and 10 hours of darkness. The impact of each material on the mortality percentage of larva and pupas and the length of larval period were studied and compared with each other. According to the results, the essential oil of C. cyminum showed the highest mortality percentage on the pests as compared with the essential oil of C. cyminum extract and R. officinalis. Therefore, regarding the positive impact of these combinations on pest losses, the use of this extract and essential oils could be a good alternative to control pests in food stores, silos etc.