Original Efficacy of Some Plant Essential Oils Against two Spotted Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae under Laboratory Conditions

Tetranychus urticae is a critical pest affecting the quality and quantity of the yield under cover and in open ground. Its pesticide resistance and short life cycle leads to rapidly spreading. The present study evaluated the efficacy of essential oils (EOs) of caraway, lemon, mint and peppermint against adult and egg stages of two spotted spider mite T. urticae, compared to that of the recommended acaricide, abamectin. Abamectin is a recommended acaricide by the Agricultural Pesticide Committee. Our results proved that, the efficacy of the EOs was lower than the acaricide, abamectin showed the highest effect on the egg deposition (46.66 % reduction), and egg hatchability (47.91%), comparable to the control treatment (the leaves discs without treatments). However, peppermint oil had the least effect on the egg deposition (25% reduction), and egg hatchability (53.3%). Caraway, lemon and mint oils showed moderate impact on the egg hatchability and deposition. Toxicity of different compounds to eggs of T. urticae showed that Abamectin was the most effective however peppermint oil recorded the lowest effect. There for essential oils can be used in integrated best management programs to control T. urticae.