Electrophysiological and Behavior Responses of Chemical Components of Mentha haplocalyx Brig. Essential Oil against Chilo suppressalis Walker

Objective The study aims to investigate the chemical components of essential oil of Mentha haplocalyx Brig. affecting electroantennogram response of Chilo suppressalis Walker.

Method The essential oil of M. haplocalyx was extracted by steam distillation. Then, the feeding behavioral response of C. suppressalis and the electroantennogram responses of the chemical components of M. haplocalyx essential oil were tested by using weight method and gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection(GC-EAD), respectively.

Result The essential oil of M. haplocalyx had feeding attraction effect to C. suppressalis, and the feeding rate was 123.01% when the concentration was 0.15625 mg/mL. The results of GC-MS showed that 27 compounds were detected in the essential oil of M. haplocalyx, accounting for 81.965% of the total content. The most abundant compound was pulegone, accounting for 15.854%. GC-EAD detection results showed that 12 compounds of essential oil of M. haplocalyx caused significant reaction in female adults of C. suppressalis, which showed the strongest reaction to pulegone. Significant reaction in male adults of C. suppressalis were observed in 10 compounds of essential oil of M. haplocalyx and that was the strongest in eugenol.

Conclusion Pulegone and eugenol in essential oil of M. haplocalyx may be main compounds affecting the feeding behavior of C. suppressalis.