Biological activities of Cuminum cyminum seed oil and its major components against Callosobruchus chinensis and Sitophilus oryzae

• Potential of Cuminum cyminum essential oil for managing insect pests
• Chemical characterization of C. cyminum essential oil
• Laevo beta pinene and gamma terpinene as effective insecticide
• Recommendation of C. cyminum essential oil as plant based pesticide

The study reports the fumigant, repellent, oviposition deterrent, ovicidal, larvicidal and pupaecidal activities of Cuminum cyminum seed essential oil and its 4 main components (cymene, γ-terpinene, cuminaldehyde and (−)-β-pinene) against Callosobruchus chinensis and Sitophilus oryzae. The essential oil, γ-terpinene and (−)-β-pinene showed pronounced activity in all parameters against both the insects. However, the susceptibility of C. chinensis was much higher than S. oryzae. Cymene and cuminaldehyde showed poor mortality to insects but caused moderate repellency and oviposition deterrency at 100 μl/L air. The essential oil when tested for practical application in protection of food commodities from insect infestation in storage containers, exhibited 100% and 97% feeding deterrent index at 100 μl/L air concentration against C. chinensis and S. oryzae damage respectively without affecting viability of chickpea and wheat. C. cyminum seed essential oil may thus be recommended as eco-friendly and biorational alternatives of synthetic pesticides for management of insect infestation of food commodities.

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