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VOL. 11, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Evaluating the antimicrobial potential of selected plant essential oils against major pathogens of Antheraea assamensis
Authors
Dhirunabh Swargiary, Anjumoni Ojha, Anurupa Goswami, Selima Nasrin, Manoj Barthakur
Abstract
In Assam, the sustainable production of muga
silk is hampered by bacterial and fungal disease, resulting in considerable
loss of the crops and negative effects on the economy. This study evaluated the
ability of essential oils from three medicinal plants such as Cinnamomum
verum, Litsea salicifolia and Andrographis paniculata to
inhibit major diseases that afflict Antheraea assamensis and to evaluate
the antimicrobial activity (antimicrobial peptides, AMP) of their silkworm
haemolymph. Essential oils were tested for antimicrobial activity using the
well diffusion method for Bacillus thuringiensis, Serratia marcescens
and Beauveria bassiana. Antimicrobial effects were found to differ, with
the most potent antifungal activity of essential oil obtained from C. verum
against B. bassiana, whilst L. salicifolia provided the strongest
antibacterial activity against B. thuringiensis. Gas chromatography mass
spectrometric (GC–MS) study showed that most of the major constituents
contributing to the antimicrobial inhibition were found to be bioactive
metabolites, including: phenylacetaldehyde, coumarin, benzyl benzoate, cinnamic
acid, longifolene, and dodecane. Consequently, these findings indicate that the
bioactive metabolites found in pathogen-infected silkworms may induce humoral
immune responses as silkworm haemolymph extracts had a high level of
antimicrobial activity; thus, presenting an opportunity to integrate plant
essential oil with silkworm factors into an eco-friendly alternative to
traditional chemical applications for the control of disease in silkworms,
ultimately leading to enhanced sustainable muga silk production.
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Pages:459-466
How to cite this article:
Dhirunabh Swargiary, Anjumoni Ojha, Anurupa Goswami, Selima Nasrin, Manoj Barthakur "Evaluating the antimicrobial potential of selected plant essential oils against major pathogens of <i>Antheraea assamensis</i>". International Journal of Entomology Research, Vol 11, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 459-466
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