اثر اسانس گیاه پونه روی مراحل مختلف زندگی شب‌پره هندی و شاخص های جدول زندگی آن

Stored product pests are one of the important problems in the storage of agricultural products, which often cause considerable damage after harvest. The Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hubner), is one of the most important pests of storage and especially dried fruits, which the fumigant chemicals are used to control it. Essential oils have attracted public attraction due to low risk to humans and other mammals, rapid decomposition, and lower environmental risks. In this research, fumigant toxicity of Mentha longifolia essential oil against different life stages of the Indian meal moth and the effect of its LC50 on biological characteristics and population growth indices of pests have been investigated. Bioassay tests and life tables were conducted at 27 ± 2°C, 50±5% RH, and photoperiod of 16:8 h (light: dark). The results showed that the essential oil toxicity is significantly different between the stages of Indian meal moth. The first instar larva with LC50 equal to 1.976 μl / l air showed the highest susceptibility. Also the adult stage with LC50 of 2.320 μl / l air was considerably more sensitive than the egg stage with LC50 value of 16.115 μl /l air. According to the life table study, the intrinsic rate of increase (r) and finite rate of increase (λ) in the control and treatment were 0.119 and 1.126 (day-1) and 0.140 and 1.150 (day-1), respectively. Also, the respective generation time (T) in the control and treatment were 35.657 and 31.567 days, which were significantly different. The gross reproductive rate (GRR) in the control (256.23 individual) was higher than that of the treatment (66.58 individual). While the Net reproductive rate (R0) in the control (71.313 individual) was lower than the treatment (83.873 individual). The female longevity in the control was 6.11 days which was significantly longer than the treatment longevity of 2.22 days. Despite the lethal effect of the essential oil on this species, because of the increased fecundity of adult females, its application to control the Indian meal moth needs further investigation.