Journal of
Medicinal Plants Research

  • Abbreviation: J. Med. Plants Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0875
  • DOI: 10.5897/JMPR
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 3840

Full Length Research Paper

Toxic effect of a selection of medicinal plant products against the parasitic bee mite Varroa destructor

Reza Ashrafi Parchin1,2*, Sohbat Bahraminejad2, Mehdi Ashrafi Parchin3 and Asgar Ebadollahi1
1Young Researchers Club, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil Branch, Iran. 2Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran. 3Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 13 October 2011
  •  Published: 16 April 2012

Abstract

Varroa destructor is a dangerous pest directly for beekeeping and indirectly for crops that require insect pollination. Acaricides appeared to be effective against Varroa mite but their application within the hives contaminates the wax and honey. The problems associated with the use of acaricides proved considerable incentive to develop new treatment strategies and screening for potential acaricides to minimize these problems. Natural products might provide effective solution to the problem of varroatosis. In the present study, we tested medicinal plant extracts including Achillea millefoliumArtemisia sieberiMentha longifolia,Peganum harmalaSatureja sahandicaTeucrium polium and Thymus kotchyanus, andFerula assa-foetida resin against varroa mite. The mortality was counted after first and second weeks of treatment and total number of dead mites was recorded. All plant extracts and resin showed strong toxicity. However, F. assa- foetida resin and A. sieberi and T. kotschyanus extracts were stronger plant materials in the all tested times and displayed the highest number of mortality. These results demonstrated that tested plant extracts and resin can be suitable alternatives to conventional chemical substances.

 

Key words: Honey bee, management, plant extracts, plant resin, Varroa destructor.