Advances in the Application and Mode of Action of Natural Plant Oils and Essential Oils in Agricultural Pest Control

Xuhui Ma

doi:10.6918/IJOSSER.202611_9(11).0015

Authors

Xuhui Ma Chengdu Green Gold Biological Science And Technology CO., LTD., Chengdu 610000, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6918/IJOSSER.202611_9(11).0015

Keywords:

Natural plant oils; essential oils; botanical insecticides; mode of action; azadirachtin; nano-formulations; integrated pest management.

Abstract

Natural plant oils and their derived essential oils are environmentally friendly, multi-targeted, and unlikely to induce pest resistance, and have become a focus of botanical pesticide research. This paper reviews their applications in stored-grain protection, field pest control and pesticide synergism, and summarizes the characteristic constituents and insecticidal mechanisms of major plant oils, including neem oil, turpentine, garlic oil, orange peel oil, thyme oil, cinnamon oil, clove oil and peppermint oil. Their multiple modes of action — physical asphyxiation, behavioral regulation, insect growth regulation, neurotoxicity and metabolic enzyme inhibition — are discussed, together with formulation technologies such as nano-emulsification and controlled-release encapsulation. Differences in the registration and regulation of botanical pesticides among China, the United States and the European Union are also compared. At present, insufficient standardization of active ingredients, short field residual activity and regulatory barriers remain the main bottlenecks restricting commercialization. Future research should focus on compositional standardization, novel formulation development, and the evaluation of field efficacy and ecological safety.

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