Insecticidal and Repellent Activities of Essential Oils from Seed and Root of Celery (Apium graveolens L.) Against Three Stored Product Insects

Abstract

To exploit botanical insecticides and decrease the damage to crops by stored insects, we analyzed the chemical composition of essential oils derived from celery (Apium graveolens L.) seed and root. Repellent and insecticidal activity of obtained essential oils and components derived from celery seed and root against Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Lasioderma serricorne (Coleoptera: Anobiidae), and Liposcelis bostrychophila (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae) were evaluated. A total of fourteen and twelve components were respectively identified from the celery seed and root essential oil. D-limonene (79.3 %) and myristicin (47.3 %) were respectively the dominant components of seed and root essential oil. The root essential oil, D-limonene, and myristicin exhibited strong repellent activity (over 80 %) against T. castaneum at a concentration of 78.63 and 15.83 nL/cm² after 2 h exposure. The seed essential oil, root essential oil, D- limonene, and myristicin showed contact toxicity against T. castaneum, L. serricorne, and L. bostrychophila with LD₅₀ values of 16.15, 18.74, 14.57, and 36.46 μg/adult; 16.01, 74.78, 13.91, and 22.15 μg/adult; 199.56, 208.91, 810.85, and 29.71 μg/cm², respectively. Seed essential oil and D-limonene showed stronger fumigant toxicity against T. castaneum, L. serricorne, and L. bostrychophila with LD₅₀ values of 18.41 and 9.25 μg/ adult; 86.98 and 14.32 μg/adult; 36.58 and 18.39 μg/cm², respectively. These findings suggested celery could be used as a botanical insecticide for insect management.

Keywords:

• Celery
• essential oil
• Tribolium castaneum
• Lasioderma serricorne
• Liposcelis bostrychophila
• fumigant toxicity
• contact toxicity
• repellent activity