Repellency effect of essential oil, plant extract and powder of seed of Ferula assafoetida on Plodia interpuntella (Lep.: Pyralidae)

The Indean Meal Moth, Plodia interpunctella</em> (Hubner) (Lep.: Pyralidae) is one of the most important agricultural stored pest. In this research, the repellency effect of essential oil, extract and powder of seed of Asafoetida (Ferula</em> asafetida</em>L.) on fourth instar larvae and adult of P. interpunctella</em> was investigated. For determine the repellency of larvae a Y sheped tube and for adults a straight tube connected to two  glass jar was used. The essential oil and extract were used at concentrations, 80, 160, 320 and 640 μl/l air and powder was used at concentrations, 4, 8, 16 and 32 g/l air. The result showed that the essential oil at the lowest concentration on larva and adults of P. interpunctella</em>, was not effective and at the highest concentration on larva and adults, had 73.33 and 70.00% repellency, respectively. At low concentration, the extract was not effective for larva, but for adults had 56.67%, repellency. Plant extract at the highest concentration had 40.00 and 96.67% repellency, for larva and adults, respectively. Then the effect of extract was better on adults than larva. Powder of Asafoetida at the lowest concentration had 16.67 and 36.67% repellency, for larvae and adults, respectively, and at the highest concentration had 70.00 and 86.67% repellency, for larvae and adults, respectively, and its effect was better on adults than larva. The results showed that the essential oil, extract and powder of seed of Asafoetida, can be used for decrease the population density of P. interpunctella </em>in stored products.