Abstract
Land mollusks are one of the most destructive agricultural pests worldwide, the management of which depends on synthetic molluscicides. However, many of these molluscicides are harmful to nontarget organisms. Hence, there is a need to develop alternative ecofriendly molluscicides that are less impactful toward nontarget organisms. So, an investigation into the fumigant toxicity and feeding deterrent effect of essential oils (EOs) from Lavandula dentata L. (Lamiaceae), Juniperus procera Hochst. (Cupressaceae), and Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds. (Lamiaceae) against the land snail Monacha obstructa (Pfeiffer, 1842) (Hygromiidae) was performed. L. dentata EO exhibited the highest fumigant toxicity with LC50 values of 8.68 mu L/L air and 7.24 mu L/L air after 24 h and 48 h exposure periods, respectively. Its main components were camphor, 1,8-cineole, fenchone, and beta-myrecene. The fumigant toxicity of J. procera EO was lower than that of L. dentata, with LC50 values of 25.63 mu L/L air and 20.11 mu L/L air after 24 h and 48 h exposure periods, respectively. The major constituents of J. procera EO were alpha-pinene, p-cymene, and beta-ocimene. The analysis of M. longifolia EO showed that pulegone, and menthol were the major constituents. However, it displayed no fumigant toxicity up to 50 mu L/L air. The three EOs exhibited a strong feeding deterrent effect at sublethal concentrations. The EOs extracted from L. dentata, J. procera and M. longifolia are promising ecofriendly botanical molluscicides against the land snail M. obstructa.