Insecticidal activity of Mentha pulegium essential oil against Thrips tabaci, Bemisia tabaci and tuta absoluta adults

In this study, fumigant toxicity of Mentha pulegium L. (Lamiales: Lamiaceae) essential oil, which made up 94.99% pulegone, was tested against adults of Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), and Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) under laboratory conditions. The fumigation was conducted for eight hours individually for each pest species in desiccators at room temperature, considering the ventilation period of greenhouses. Following the treatment, the pests were removed from the desiccators and counted at 0th, 24th and 48th -hour intervals. Results demonstrated a gradual increase in mortality over time after the fumigation. Based on the data at the 48th hour, the LC50 value of the M. pulegium essential oils for fumigation T. absoluta adults was estimated as 0.46 µL /L air. The respective values for adults of B. tabaci and T. tabaci, were 0.52 µL / L air and 1.18 µL / L air. These results indicate that the fumigation with M. pulegium essential oil had a significant lethal effect on the pests, particularly T. absoluta. Therefore, M. pulegium essential oil can serve as an alternative insecticide to chemical agents in greenhouses for pest control.