Botanical essential oils were exhibited pesticidal activities against many insects including mealybugs. The current study's objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of threeconcentrations of jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis (Link) C.K. Schneid) belongs to the family Simmondsiaceae and lavender(Lavandula angustifolia Mill) belongs to the Labiatae family essential oils on the populations of nymphs and adults of the mealybug Nipaecoccus nipae (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) under laboratory conditions after 24, 48 and 72 hrs.Additionally, analyzes and determines the chemical constituents of the two essential oils using GC-MS analysis.The results showed that the essential oils of jojoba and lavender were recorded high toxic effects against N. nipae after 72hrs.with the same lethal concentrations LC50 values at 192.07and 192.07ppm for nymphs populations, respectively.In the case of N. nipae adults, the LC50 values were 140.87 and 131.29ppm for jojoba and lavenderessential oils after the same time, respectively. At the highest concentration (1000ppm), the percentages of N. nipae nymphs and adults mortality recorded the highest mortality percentage (100 and 96.67%) for jojoba essential oil and (100.00 and 100.00%) for lavender essential oil after 72hrs. of treatment, respectively. Mealybug mortality was increased by increasing of the period of exposure and the concentrations of oil. Both essential oils were proved to be very toxic to N. nipae nymphs and adults. The GC-MSanalysis results revealed that seventeen componentswere found in jojoba essential oil and representing 98.89% of essential oil compositions. These compounds mainly consisted of two fatty acids Eicos-11-enoic acid (Gadoleic acid) (36.90%) and Arachidic acid (Eicosanoic acid) (24.68%) as major constituents. Other major compounds were 9-Octadecenal (6.17%), Glycerol triacetate (4.44%), while thirty two chemical compounds representing 99.94% of the lavenderessential oil and the most abundant components were Linalyl acetate (27.46%), Linalool (26.29%), Caryophyllene (6.62%), and lavandulyl acetate (5.78%)and others components such as Caryophyllene oxide (5.04%) (Z)-β-Ocimene (4.77%)and Eucalyptol (3.27%).These fatty acids and monoterpenes compounds present in jojoba and lavender essential oils may responsible for the highly insecticidal activities against N. nipae. Our research indicates that the jojoba and lavender essential oils can be beneficial as botanical insecticide for an IPM strategy to mealybugsand protect crops against their attacks.
Keywords : Essential oils, Simmondsia chinensis, Lavandula angustifolia, Nipaecoccus nipae, Bioassay, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.,
Received:8/13/2023 12:00:00 AM; Accepted: 9/30/2023 12:00:00 AM