Chemical composition and toxicity of Moroccan mentha spicata and Artemisia absinthium essential oils against Pthorimaea operculella , the potato moth.

The current methods employed to mitigate losses caused by Phthorimaea operculella primarily rely on the application of synthetic insecticides. We have utilised essential oils of Mentha spicata L. and Artemisia absinthium against Phthorimaea operculella . The essential oils were obtained using hydrodistillation and analysed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Mentha spicata essential oil contained D-limonene (25.12%) and D-carvone (7.47%) while the essential oil of Artemisia absinthium was rich of 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexene (27.93%) and camphor (22.50%). Five concentrations (0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 µL/L of air) were applied to the four phases of P. operculella , neonate larvae, nymphs, eggs and adults. The results of the biological tests showed that spearmint oil was more toxic than wormwood oil, particularly at the adult and Chrysalide stages. Essential oils could be considered good alternatives to chemical pesticides for the protection of potato crops.