Evaluation of insecticidal activity of the essential oil of Allium chinense G. Don and its major constituents against Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel

• Essential oil of Allium chinense was obtained from hydration and analyzed by GC–MS.
• 18 components were determined from the oil and most are s-containing compounds.
• Essential oil and four constituents were evaluated for contact toxicity against the booklice.
• Essential oil and four constituents were evaluated for fumigant toxicity against the booklice.

Water-distilled essential oil from the dried bulbs of Allium chinense (Liliaceae) was analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Eighteen compounds, accounting for 98.4% of the total oil, were identified and the main components of the essential oil of A. chinense were methyl allyl trisulfide (30.7%), dimethyl trisulfide (24.1%), methyl propyl disulfide (12.8%) and dimethyl disulfide (9.6%) followed by methyl allyl disulfide (3.4%) and methyl propyl trisulfide (3.6%). The essential oil exhibited contact toxicity against the booklice (Liposcelis bostrychophila) with an LC50 value of 441.8 μg/cm2 while the two major constituents, dimethyl trisulfide and methyl propyl disulfide had LC50 values of 153.0 μg/cm2 and 738.0 μg/cm2 against the booklice, respectively. The essential oil of A. chinense possessed strong fumigant toxicity against the booklice with an LC50 value of 186.5 μg/l while methyl allyl trisulfide (LC50 = 90.4 μg/l) and dimethyl trisulfide (LC50 = 114.2 μg/l) exhibited stronger fumigant toxicity than methyl propyl disulfide (LC50 = 243.4 μg/l) and dimethyl disulfide (LC50 = 340.8 μg/l) against the booklice. The results indicated that the essential oil and its major constituents have potential for development into natural insecticides or fumigants for control of insects in stored grains.

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