Carrot Seed Essential Oil as Stored Grain Protectant against Rust Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium castaneum

The insecticidal, repellent, contact, antifeedant and fumigant bioefficacy of carrot seed essential oil, and its non polar and polar fractions are reported against F₁ generation of Tribolium castaneum. Carotol, a sesquiterpenoid was the major compound present in the oil. The oil was subjected to column chromatography to obtain nonpolar and polar fractions. Polar fraction (LC₅₀ = 0.544 and LC₉₀ = 1.337%) was the most effective followed by carrot seed essential oil (LC₅₀ = 0.910 and LC₉₀= 2.489%) and non polar fraction (LC₅₀ = 1.740 and LC₉₀ = 7.740%) as contact poison. The oil showed antifeedant effect and the oil, its non polar as well as the polar fractions repellent effect against T. castaneum. The results suggested that carrot seed essential oil could be used as stored grain protectant against T. castaneum.