Essential Oil Coating: Mediterranean Culinary Plants as Grain Protectants against Larvae and Adults of and .

Postharvest agricultural losses constitute a major food security risk. In contrast, postharvest protection is strongly linked with food safety. The present study aims to develop novel postharvest protection tools through a bioprospecting protocol utilizing edible essential oils (EOs) as grain coatings. For this purpose, six Mediterranean culinary plants were selected for evaluation. The EOs of juniper, L. (Pinales: Cupressaceae), marjoram, L. (Lamiales: Lamiaceae), oregano, ssp. (Link) A.Terracc. (Lamiales: Lamiaceae), bay laurel, L. (Laurales: Lauraceae) and tarhan, ssp. (Guss.) Tutin (Apiales: Apiaceae) were retrieved through steam distillation, while lemon, (L.) Osbeck (Sapindales: Rutaceae) EO was retrieved through cold press extraction. All EOs were formulated to microemulsions (MEs) and applied uniformly as a coating on wheat against larvae and adults of (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). All EO-based MEs have been evaluated for the first time as grain coatings. They caused moderate to high mortality to larvae (67.8-93.3% 14 days post-exposure) and adults (70.0-87.8% after 7 days of exposure). , and ssp. EO-based MEs were the most efficient against larvae, by exhibiting 93.3%, 91.1% and 90.0% mortality 14 days post-exposure, respectively. , and EO-based MEs were the most efficient against adults, exhibiting 87.8%, 84.4% and 83.3% mortality after 7 days of exposure, respectively. These results indicate that EO-based ME coating is a potent tool against the tested postharvest pests.