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© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Simple Summary

The prickly pear Opuntia ficus-indica L. has an important economic role as a source of food for human consumption, for cosmetic and pharmaceutical purposes, and as fodder for livestock in Morocco. This crop is now attacked by a new sap-sucking insect pest, the wild-scale Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell). The aim of this study was to investigate the insecticidal potential of essential oils as alternative to synthetic insecticides for the control of D. opuntiae nymphs and adult females under laboratory and field conditions. Results revealed that Mentha pulegium and Origanum vulgare oils provided a rich source of bioactive compounds and exhibited high contact toxicity against D. opuntiae. In addition, M. pulegium and O. vulgaris oils applied in combination with black soap induced the highest toxic activity on adult females under field conditions.

Abstract

The carmine cochineal Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell) is the major insect pest of the prickly-pear cactus Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) in Morocco. The present study investigated the insecticidal activities of six essential oils (EOs) against nymphs and adult females of D. opuntiae applied singly or in combination with a detergent under laboratory and field conditions. Under laboratory conditions, M. pulegium and O. vulgare L. essential oils showed a high level of insecticidal activity at 5%, with 98% and 92% females’ mortality, respectively, 5 days after treatments. The M. pulegium and O. vulgaris oils at 5% applied in combination with black soap at (60 g/L) induced the highest toxic activity on adult females, 100% and 96% at 5 days after treatments, respectively. Under field conditions, M. pulegium and O. vulgare oils at 5% in combination with black soap (60 g/L) showed the highest adult female mortalities with 96.33 and 92.56%, respectively, 7 days after the first application. The double application of M. pulegium oil at 5% significantly increased the mortality of adult females up to 91%, 5 days after the second spray. GC-MS analysis revealed that the most abundant constituent of M. pulegium and O. vulgare oils was pulegone (84.69%) and durenol (76.53%), respectively. These findings showed that the use of M. pulegium and O. vulgare in combination with black soap or in double sprays could be incorporated in the management package for the control of the wild cochineal D. opuntiae, as a safe and natural alternative to chemical insecticides.

Details

Title
Chemical Composition and Insecticidal Potential of Six Essential Oils from Morocco against Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell) under Field and Laboratory Conditions
Author
Ramdani, Chaimae 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Karim El Fakhouri 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Sbaghi, Mohamed 3 ; Bouharroud, Rachid 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Boulamtat, Rachid 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Aasfar, Abderrahim 5 ; Abdelhalim Mesfioui 6 ; Mustapha El Bouhssini 7 

 Entomology Laboratory, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Rabat Institutes, Rabat 10100, Morocco; [email protected] (K.E.F.); [email protected] (R.B.); Laboratory of Biology and Health, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ibn-Tofail University, Kenitra 14000, Morocco; [email protected] 
 Entomology Laboratory, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Rabat Institutes, Rabat 10100, Morocco; [email protected] (K.E.F.); [email protected] (R.B.) 
 National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRA), Rabat 10100, Morocco; [email protected] 
 Integrated Crop Production Unit, Regional Center for Agronomic Research of Agadir (INRA), Avenue des FAR, Inezgane 80000, Morocco; [email protected] 
 Green Biotechnology Laboratory, Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research (MAScIR), Rabat Design Centre, Rue Mohamed Al Jazouli, Madinate Al Irfane, Rabat 10100, Morocco; [email protected] 
 Laboratory of Biology and Health, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ibn-Tofail University, Kenitra 14000, Morocco; [email protected] 
 AgroBioSciences Research Division, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Lot 660, Hay Moulay Rachid, Benguerir 43150, Morocco; [email protected] 
First page
1007
Publication year
2021
Publication date
2021
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20754450
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2602072337
Copyright
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.