Acaricidal properties of the essential oil from Aristolochia trilobata and its major constituents against the twospotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae)

Tetranychus urticae Koch is a polyphagous pest that is widely distributed throughout the world and causes considerable damage to crops in northeastern Brazil. The effects of the essential oil from Aristolochia trilobata, selected constituents and an artificial mixture (sulcatyl acetate, limonene, linalool and p-cymene) against T. urticae in terms of fumigant action, residual contact and fecundity were investigated under laboratory conditions. The results were compared to eugenol, azamax® and ortus® as positive controls. GC/MS analysis of the oil revealed a predominance of monoterpenes, with sulcatyl acetate (24.57 ± 0.40%) as the major component, followed by linalool (10.80 ± 0.27%). Toxicity varied with the method employed. Through fumigation, the A. trilobata oil was about 2.18-fold more toxic than the artificial mixture, whereas no significant difference between the two products was found with regard to residual contact. Regarding the selected compounds, the mite was most susceptible to linalool and p-cymene by fumigation and residual contact, respectively. The plant-based (Azamax®) and synthetic (Ortus®) acaricidal agents were more toxic than the products tested. Moreover, low concentrations of the products investigated herein had no effect on mite survival, but a significant effect was found on the quantity of eggs laid by females. The A. trilobata oil and artificial mixture are promising natural acaricidal agents that have more than one mode of action (fumigation and residual contact) and exert an effect on fecundity. However, further studies are needed to evaluate the cost/benefit ratio for use on organic crops and protected environments in northeastern Brazil.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author