Óleos essenciais no controle de Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Abstract

Ceratitis capitata, are responsible for great economic damage to national fruit production. In this sense and in view of the need to develop sustainable control strategies for C. capitata, the study of the insecticidal potential of essential oils has gained prominence worldwide. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of essential oils of andiroba, citronella and eucalyptus in the mortality and emergence of C. capitata in two stages of life. The research was conducted at the Entomology Laboratory of the Agricultural Sciences Center of the Federal University of Paraíba. The essential oils used were derived from commercial formulations, for each type of oil the 3rd instar larvae and pupae were immersed in five concentrations. The action of the oils differed for the life stages in which they were applied, as well as their actions were more effective in the first hours after application. The use of andiroba oil, when applied in the pupal phase, has already resulted in a mortality above the lethal dose (LD50) with the lowest concentration (20 mg). For applications in the larval phase, eucalyptus oil stood out over the others, generating the highest mortality rates of larvae and with greater persistence of action, also resulting in higher pupal mortality. The use of essential oils in the control of C. capitata proved to be a promising alternative, however, attention should be paid to the life stage and concentrations applied to optimize the success of this control method.