Countless problems due to the use of chemical insecticides for the control of pests in stored grains have been observed. In order to minimize these problems, alternative measures have been developed, including the use of botanical insecticides. This work was carried out with the objective of evaluating the effect of the essential oil of Tagetes patula L. on, Sitophilus zeamais (Mots., 1855) in corn kernels in laboratory conditions. The T. patula essential oil was obtained through hidrodestilation with the Clevenger device. The chemical characterization of the compounds found in the essential oil of T. patula was carried by gas chromatography connected to the mass spectrometer. The compounds found were: limonene (37.05%), terpinolene (32.61%), piperitone (14.40%), neophitadiene (5.91%), sabinene (2.88%), trans-ocimene (2.02%), beta-cariphilene (1.98%), farnesol (1.84%), and alpha-pinene (1.30%). The insects used in the bio-test were kept under controled temperature and relative humidity environment. Two bioassays were carried out to evaluate the effect of the essential oil of T. patula on the behavior (activity/repellence) and insecticide activity on adults of S. zeamais. The results showed that this essential oil was efficient (concentration of 10 µL) to control adults of S. zeamais adults.
Control; repellence; bioactyve composites; beetle of maize
