Paper · 2026 · Journal of Stored Products Research

Separate and combined effects of plant essential oils and X-ray irradiation against the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller

Bahram Naseri; Asgar Ebadollahi; Maryam Elahi; et al.

6
claims
13
verbatim quotes
0
citations
2
research areas
✓
Open access · cc-by-nc-nd

Abstract

The use of chemical pesticides to control storage pests has resulted in numerous side effects on non-target organisms and the environment. X-ray irradiation and plant essential oils (EOs) are low-risk and efficient methods to control storage pests such as Ephestia kuehniella Zeller. The aim of this study was to evaluate lethality of EOs from Mentha piperita L., Satureja hortensis L., Carum copticum L., Foeniculum vulgare Mill., Syzygium aromaticum L., and Pimpinella anisum L. against fifth-instar larvae of E. kuehniella . Thereafter, the combined effect of C. copticum and S. hortensis oils (as the most toxic EOs) with X-ray irradiation (at a dose of 0.5 Gy/h) on life-table parameters of this pest was investigated using the age-stage, two-sex theory. Terpenic compounds, including thymol, p -cymene, γ-terpinene, and α-pinene, were dominant in C. copticum and S. hortensis EOs. The combining of C. copticum and S. hortensis EOs with X-ray irradiation increased the mortality of larvae compared to their isolated application and control. The developmental times were also prolonged in all treatments as compared to the control. Moreover, number of eggs laid, intrinsic rate of population increase and net reproductive rate were decreased by combined application of EOs and X-ray. According to the synergistic phenomena, the combining of C. copticum and S. hortensis EOs and X-ray irradiation can be introduced as a suitable alternative to conventional pesticides to manage E. kuehniella in storage.

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Claims 6

Observationobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Essential oils of Carum copticum and Satureja hortensis were the most toxic to fifth-instar larvae of Ephestia kuehniella.

Taxon
C. copticume3
Interactor
E. kuehniellaEphestia kuehniellae2pest
Outcome
most toxice3

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Ephestia kuehniella
Ephestia kuehniella · InteractorBirgit E. Rhode, Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e2

“fifth-instar larvae of E. kuehniella”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 489–525 · show in text ↑
e3

“C. copticum and S. hortensis oils (as the most toxic EOs)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 563–620 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Combined C. copticum and S. hortensis essential oils with X-ray irradiation increased larval mortality compared with their isolated application and control.

Taxon
C. copticume4
Treatment
combining of C. copticum and S. hortensis EOs with X-ray irradiatione4
Interactor
E. kuehniellaEphestia kuehniellae2pest
Outcome
mortality of larvaee4
Direction
increasede4
Comparator
their isolated application and controle4

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Ephestia kuehniella
Ephestia kuehniella · InteractorBirgit E. Rhode, Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e2

“fifth-instar larvae of E. kuehniella”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 489–525 · show in text ↑
e3

“C. copticum and S. hortensis oils (as the most toxic EOs)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 563–620 · show in text ↑
e4

“The combining of C. copticum and S. hortensis EOs with X-ray irradiation increased the mortality of larvae compared to their isolated application and control”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 887–1044 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Combined essential oils and X-ray irradiation prolonged the developmental time of E. kuehniella compared with the control.

Taxon
C. copticume3
Treatment
all treatmentse5
Interactor
E. kuehniellaEphestia kuehniellae2pest
Outcome
developmental timese5
Direction
prolongede5
Comparator
the controle5

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Ephestia kuehniella
Ephestia kuehniella · InteractorBirgit E. Rhode, Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e2

“fifth-instar larvae of E. kuehniella”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 489–525 · show in text ↑
e3

“C. copticum and S. hortensis oils (as the most toxic EOs)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 563–620 · show in text ↑
e5

“The developmental times were also prolonged in all treatments as compared to the control”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1046–1134 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Combined essential oils and X-ray irradiation decreased the number of eggs laid, intrinsic rate of increase and net reproductive rate of E. kuehniella.

Taxon
C. copticume3
Treatment
combined application of EOs and X-raye6
Interactor
E. kuehniellaEphestia kuehniellae2pest
Outcome
number of eggs laid, intrinsic rate of population increase and net reproductive ratee6
Direction
decreasede6

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Ephestia kuehniella
Ephestia kuehniella · InteractorBirgit E. Rhode, Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e2

“fifth-instar larvae of E. kuehniella”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 489–525 · show in text ↑
e3

“C. copticum and S. hortensis oils (as the most toxic EOs)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 563–620 · show in text ↑
e6

“number of eggs laid, intrinsic rate of population increase and net reproductive rate were decreased by combined application of EOs and X-ray”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1146–1286 · show in text ↑
Recommendationauthor interpretationoriginal resultpositivebasis n/a

Claim · model-written summary

Combined C. copticum and S. hortensis essential oils with X-ray irradiation can be introduced as a suitable alternative to conventional pesticides for managing E. kuehniella in storage.

Taxon
C. copticume7
Interactor
E. kuehniellaEphestia kuehniellae7pest
Outcome
suitable alternative to conventional pesticidese7

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Ephestia kuehniella
Ephestia kuehniella · InteractorBirgit E. Rhode, Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e7

“the combining of C. copticum and S. hortensis EOs and X-ray irradiation can be introduced as a suitable alternative to conventional pesticides to manage E. kuehniella in storage”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1328–1505 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Terpenic compounds were dominant in the essential oils of C. copticum and S. hortensis.

Taxon
C. copticume2
Outcome
Terpenic compoundse2
Qualifier
thymol, p -cymene, γ-terpinene, and α-pinenee2

Verbatim

e2

“Terpenic compounds, including thymol, p -cymene, γ-terpinene, and α-pinene, were dominant in C. copticum and S. hortensis EOs”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 760–885 · show in text ↑