Fumigant toxicity of Carum copticum and Vitex pseudo-negundo essential oils against eggs, larvae and adults of Callosobruchus maculatus

Fumigant activity of essential oil vapors distilled from Carum copticum C. B. Clarke and Vitex pseudo-negundo Hand I. MZT. was tested against eggs, larvae and adults of Callosobruchus maculatus (F.). Fumigant toxicity was assessed at 27 ± 1°C and 60 ± 5% RH, in dark condition. The influence of different concentrations of the essential oil vapors on egg hatchability, larval and adult mortality was significant. Data probit analysis showed that lethal concentration of the essential oil to kill 50% of the population (LC₅₀) for egg, larvae and adult were found to be 1.01, 2.50 and 0.90 μl/l air of C. copticum oil, followed by 2.20, 8.42 and 9.39 μl/l air essential oil of V. pseudo-negundo, respectively. Between these essential oils, C. copticum was almost more toxic than V. pseudo-negundo on all growth stages of C. maculatus. The present study suggests that essential oils from these medicinal plants may be potential grain protectants as botanical alternative fumigants and could be used in the management of various life stages of C. maculatus.