Variations in Essential Oils Composition and Potential as Fumigants against Stored Date Moths Ectomyelois ceratoniae and Ephestia kuehniella

Rosmarinus officinalis and Eucalyptus viminalis essential oils (EO) were analysed using Solid Phase Micro-Extraction (SPME) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques and assessed for their fumigant toxicity against eggs and last instar larvae of Ectomyelois ceratoniae and Ephestia kuehniella. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) revealed quantitative and qualitative differences in oil composition in relation to plant species and the technique that was used in the analysis. The major common compounds were identified as 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, β-pineneand and p-cymene. Ovicidal and larvicidal activities were highly dependent upon insect species and oils. E. viminalis EO was more effective compared to that of R. officinalis. In larval bioassays, LC50 values were respectively 25.80 μl/l air and 33.05 μl/l air for E. ceratoniae versus 12.92 μl/l air and 12.47 μl/l air for E. kuehniella. Moreover, ovicidal activity was lower against eggs of E. kuehniella than that of E. ceratoniae. This work clearly defends the interest in the efficacy of EOs both as ovicidal and larvicidal insecticides against stored date moth pests