Chemical composition and insecticidal activity of essential oils from cultivated and native aromatic plants of Argentina against (Fabricius) (Nitidulidae) and (L.) (Silvanidae).

Essential oils from aerial parts of six aromatic plants were analysed by GC-MS. The major compounds identified were -terpinene (11.5%), cuminaldehyde (26.6%) and -terpinen-7-al (40.6%) in , -anethol (95.2%) in , α-pinene (11.6%), limonene (21.0%), β-caryophyllene (22.3%) and α-humulene (16.7%) in , limonene (40.8%) and artemisia ketone (19.3%) in , -β-ocimene (15.6%), 4-ethyl-4-methyl-1-hexene (24.5%), -tagetone (20.5%) and verbenone (27.2%) in , 1,8-cineole (17.9%),elixene (10.3%) and spathulenol (13.8%) in . Oils with strong insecticidal activity on and were from (LC = 4 µl/L; LC = 10 µl/L) and (LC=10.19-12.57 µl/L; LC=20 µl/L). Scents of and were strong insecticides on (LC=7.02-7.17 µl/L; LC=10.00-20.00 µl/L). The insecticidal activity was associated to the whole content of C10 molecules and oxygenated constituents. The oil is promising as protective agent of nut products.