Abstract

The present study was carried out to evaluate the toxicity, repellency and fumigant activity of three essential oils that is, Cymbopogen citratus, Mentha arvensis, Eucalyptus citriodoraagainst Periplaneta americana (L.) under laboratory conditions. Of the three tested oils, C. citratus showed the maximum toxicity (20 to 100%) between 2 to 24 h intervals, repellency (100%) and 70 to 100% fumigation after 24 h exposure. E. citrodora oil was found to have least toxicity, repellency and fumigant activity. Percentage mortality (0 to 80%) between 2 to 24 h, 40 to 60% fumigant activity was observed after 24 h at different concentrations.  From the present study, it was revealed that three oils were arranged according to the following order of preference that is, C. citratus M. arvensis and E. citriodora.

Key words: Toxicity, repellency, fumigation, Cymbopogen citratus, Mentha arvensis, Eucalyptus citriodora against Periplaneta Americana.