Activity Evaluation of Thymus Munbyanus Essential Oil on Reproduction and Transgenerational Proprieties of the Pest Store Ephestia Kuehniella Zeller.

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Bendjedid Hadjira, Yezli Amina, Yezli-Touiker Samira, Boudjelida Hamid

Abstract

Introduction: The Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is one of the most important pests of stored products.


Objectives: The reprotoxicity and the trangenerational property of Thymus munbyanus subsp coloratus essential oil (EO) were evaluated against E. kuehniella.


Methods: The EO was applied in vivo, by topical application with its inhibition doses (ID) on newly molted pupae in day 0 of the pupae stage (ID25: 15.38 and ID50: 25.22 µl/ml of acetone). In a follow-up experiment, the adults that survived from treated pupae were investigated for different reproductive event and ovarian parameters for the two successive generations.


Results: The EO effects showed a significant decrease in the vitellogenins and the ovarian vitellin amounts, for ID25 and ID50, compared to control series.  Moreover, the treatment reduced the duration of pre-oviposition and the oviposition periods, in addition, a lower fecundity and egg hatchability were noted for each generation. Furthermore, the EO reduced the number of basal oocytes per paired ovaries and the fresh weight of ovaries for the two generations, but also a reduction of the progeny was recorded for ID25 and ID50.  


Conclusions: Thus, this study has highlighted the reprotoxicity and persistence effects of T. munbyanus essential oil throughout the interference with endocrine functions of E. kuehniella.

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