Seyed Saeid Modarres Najafabadi - Department of Entomology, Agriculture and Natural Resources Research Center, Arak, Iran

A comparative study was made between the acaricidal activities of some essential oils: rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), lavandula (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.), thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) and ziziphora (Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam.) on the important mite pest, Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisduval, the carmine spider mite, oncut roses during ۲۰۱۰-۲۰۱۲. The sublethal concentrations of ziziphora oil (۰.۱۲۵%), thyme oil (۰.۵%), rosemary oil (۰.۲۵%) and lavandula oil (۰.۱۲۵%) were used. Biological tests were carried out for a susceptible laboratory carmine spider mite strain reared under controlled conditions of ۲۷±۲ °C; ۶۰% R.H. and ۱۶L:۸D photoperiod on rose leaves in greenhouse. The results showed that thyme oil causes the highest significant reduction in the fecundity and fertility as compared to the other tested oils. Thyme and ziziphora oil greatly affected the number of  larvae and nymphs (for thyme oil ۷۰.۷±۲.۸ and ۷.۳±۰.۳, for ziziphora oil ۱۰۹.۱±۴.۷ and ۱۷.۷±۱.۸, respectively) that reached next biological stages. Results were tabulated, analyzed, discussed and prepared to be fit in any IPM program for combating these pest animals.

Tetranychus cinnabarinus, Acaricidal activities, Essential oils, Roses