toxicity and repellency effects of three plant essential oils against two-spotted spider mite, tetranychus urticae (acari: tetranychidae)

to introduce ecologically safe acaricide, effects of essential oils derived from cuminum cyminum (cumin), syzygium aromaticum (clove), and mentha spicata (spearmint) were determined on tetranychus urticae at 25±1◦c, 65±5% rh and a photoperiod of 16:8 (l:d) hour. the essential oils extracted by hydro-distillation were characterized by means of gc and gc–ms. bioassays were performed by filter paper diffusion without allowing direct contact. cumin, clove, and spearmint oils contained α- pinene (29.1%), eugenol (78.5%) and carvone (59.4%), respectively, as the major compounds. the lowest lc50value for adults was recorded for cumin oil (3.74 μl l-1 air) followed by clove (6.13 μl l-1 air) and spearmint (7.53 μl l-1 air). the highest ovicidal activity was recorded for cumin oil (lc50= 7.65 μl l-1 air) followed by clove (lc50= 8.73 μl l-1 air) and spearmint (lc50= 9.01 μl l-1 air). according to repellency tests, by increasing concentration of oils, the repellency effects were increased. the most potent repellency effect was recorded for clove, followed by spearmint and cumin oils. the three extracted essential oils seem to be suitable sources of active vapors that can be used as alternatives for chemical pesticides for controlling this pest.