International Journal of Entomology Research

Authors
Kathirvelu C, Mangayarkarasi S, Ayyasamy R, Kannan R

Abstract
The current study was carried out at the Department of Entomology, Annamalai University to find out the fumigant action of two synthetic volatile compounds, namely Propionic acid and Benzaldehyde and two essential oils namely, Ocimum basilicum and Mentha piperita and their different possible combinations against Callosobruchus maculatus and Tribolium castaneum using fumigant toxicity assay under laboratory conditions on adults and larval stages of target insects. Among the selected synthetic volatile compounds and essential oils and their combinations evaluated for fumigant toxicity against target pests, Propionic acid + Benzaldehyde was effective by causing a Lethal Concentration (LC₅₀) of 6.76, 25.67 and 70.83 µl/l air in 24-h period and found promising against adults of all the two test insects viz., C. maculatus, T. castaneum and larvae of T. castaneum respectively. Benzaldehyde and Propionic acid manifested their effectiveness against the target insects of coleopteran pest of stored produce namely,C. maculatus and T. castaneum and the activity of essential oils might be improved by mixing with synthetic volatiles.