Chemical composition, fumigant and anti-acetylcholinesterase activity of the Tunisian Citrus aurantium L. essential oils.

The present work reported first investigations on fumigant and anti-cholinesterase activities of C. aurantium essential oils and pure limonene towards Tunisian strain of Bemisia tabaci . GC and GC–MS analysis showed a high percent of limonene (87.523%). C. aurantium oils and the single compound were known to be potent AChE inhibitor with IC 50 value of 2.94 mM and 3.54 mM, respectively. Furthermore, it was observed that the oil and its major compound showed a reversible non-competitive inhibition revealed that these components might bind both the enzyme alone and the enzyme–substrate. Significant pest fumigant activity was demonstrated. Fumigant treatments have shown that B. tabaci mortality rate increased with the increase in essential oils concentration. Complete insect mortality was detected at the highest concentration (20 μL/L air) within 24 h of exposure, whereas, at the least concentration (2.5 μL/L air) mortality varied from 41 to 47.67% for the single compound and the oil, respectively. These results suggest that oils from C. aurantium peels may be promising as models to develop new insecticides that might be applied into the integrated management of whiteflies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]