Repellency of Wild Oregano Plant Volatiles, Plectranthus Amboinicus, and Their Essential Oils to the Silverleaf Whitefly, Bemisia Tabaci, on Tomato

Abstract

The Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) whitefly is a major economically damaging pest of many crops such as tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Pesticides are widely used to control B. tabaci while the use of aromatic plants is an alternative control method. The aim of this study was to assess the B.tabaci repellent effect of wild oregano, Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng, a widespread aromatic plant in the West Indies. We tested three origins of wild oregano, including northern, central, and southern Martinique (French West Indies). Our results showed that all essential oils of wild oregano had either masking properties or were true repellents—the mean percentage of whiteflies present in the upper part of the still-air olfactometer was 1.3- to 1.9-fold lower than in the controls. The ethanolic solution of volatile organic compounds of wild oregano from southern Martinique also had a true repellent effect—the mean percentage of whiteflies present in the upper part of the still-air olfactometer was 1.3-fold lower than in the controls. Moreover, in a greenhouse insect-proof cage, there were 1.5 fewer adult whiteflies on tomato intercropped with wild oregano from southern Martinique than on tomato alone after 96 h exposure. Our study generated further insight into the potential of P. amboinicus for B. tabaci biocontrol on tomato crops. Wild oregano extracts were repellent to B. tabaci and could be used as a companion plant to prevent whitefly infestations on tomato crops. However, the B. tabaci behavior depends on the plant origin.