Ferulago campestris Essential Oil as Active Ingredient in Chitosan Seed-Coating: Chemical Analyses, Allelopathic Effects, and Protective Activity against the Common Bean Pest Acanthoscelides obtectus

Ferulago campestris is an aromatic plant, distributed in Mediterranean Europe, and a source of essential oils (EOs) regarded as promising alternatives to synthetic herbicides pesticides. F. EO, hydrodistilled analyzed, was tested for its antigerminative activity effect on radicle elongation, hydrogen peroxide concentration, lipid peroxidation four infesting weed species (Papaver rhoeas, Taraxacum campylodes, Poa annua, Setaria verticillata) Phaseolus vulgaris. Its repellent ability also against Acanthoscelides obtectus, pest commonly affecting P. vulgaris during storage. Moreover, chitosan coating layer developed with the addition EO toxic oviposition-deterring effects A. obtectus. Myrcene, α-pinene, γ-terpinene were detected main compounds EO. The demonstrated selective vitro towards species, without bean seeds. exerted dose-dependent obtectus adults, thus effectively protecting seeds, while preserving their germinative ability. To best our knowledge, this first report chitosan–EO proposed aim seeds sowing from insect attack.