Fumigant activity of leaf essential oil from Myrtus communis L. against the khapra beetle.

The fumigant toxicity of leaf essential oil from Myrtus communis (L.) was assessed against khapra beetle Trogoderma granarium Everts. The essential oil was active against different life stages of khapra beetle T. granarium. Adult stage was the most sensitive of all developmental stages to essential oil vapours. Whereas, larvae were the most tolerant with 94% and 100% mortality obtained after exposure of larvae to 562.5 μl/l air for 24 and 48h respectively. At 48h exposure period, LC50 and LC90 were 221 μl/l air and 487 μl/l air respectively. The results suggest a possibility for using leaf essential oil of the myrtle (M. communis) as an insecticide against Trogoderma granarium Everts in grain stores.