Plant essential oil, especially botanical insecticides, are currently studied more and more because of the possibility of their use in plant protection. Biological activity of fifteen essential oil were studied using fourth instar larvae of armyworm, Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).Larvicidal activity of Acorus calamus, Cinnamomum camphora, Citrus limonum, Cuminum cyminum, Cymbopogan citrates, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum compactum, Origanum vulgare, Mentha arvensis, Mentha piperata, Rosmarinus officinalis, Thymus vulgaris, Pelargonium graveolens, Zingiber officinales, and Coriandrum sativumwere used in this study. During preliminary screening, the extracts were tested at 1,000 ppm concentration. The larval mortality was observed after 24 h of exposure. All Essential oil are showed moderate larvicidal effects; however, the highest larval mortality was found in the essential oil of Zingiber officinales, Citrus limonum , Acorus calamus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Cuminum cyminum ,and Coriandrum sativum (LC50=15, 34.55, 36.13, 38.2, 57.55, 63.99 and 65.07 ppm) and the lowest larval mortality was found in the essential oil of Origanum vulgare, Cinnamomum camphora, Cymbopogan citrates , Mentha arvensis and Pelargonium graveolens (LC50= 110.77, 112.03, 114.43, 120.59 and 134.27ppm) The result that the Essential oils promising as larvicidal activity against armyworm, Spodoptera litura agricultural important lepidopteron pest. © 2010 IJRSR. All rights reserved.
