FUMIGANT TOXIC ACTIVITY OF ESSENTIAL OILS ON Sitophilus granarius (Linné)

Granary weevil (Sitophilus granarius L.) is the most important and oldest known pest of stored products. To protect the grain wheat against this pest, nineteen essential oils extracted from aromatic and medicinal plants were tested for their insecticidal effect by determination of percentage of mortality after 24 and 48 hours of exposure. Several extracts were toxic to this pest, however the strongest activity was attributed to the essential oil of Mentha pulegium (100% of mortality) followed by Mentha viridis, Origanum compactum and Eucalyptus globulus.