Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Functional Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #297044
Title: Bioactivity of cedarwood oil and cedrol against arthropod pests

Author
item Eller, Fred
item Vander Meer, Robert - Bob
item Behle, Robert
item Weiler, Lina
item Palmquist, Debra

Submitted to: Environmental Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/21/2014
Publication Date: 6/12/2014
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/60544
Citation: Eller, F.J., Vander Meer, R.K., Behle, R.W., Flor-Weiler, L.B., Palmquist, D.E. 2014. Bioactivity of cedarwood oil and cedrol against arthropod pests. Environmental Entomology. 43(3):762-766.

Interpretive Summary: This research determined the bioactivity of carbon dioxide-derived cedarwood oil (CWO) towards several species of ants, two cockroaches and a tick. In an outdoor test, several species of ants were repelled by the presence of CWO on a pole leading to a sugar-water solution. Similarly, in a laboratory test, imported red fire ants were repelled by CWO separating them from a food source. Black legged tick nymphs were killed by CWO in a contact laboratory test. Over 90% of adult houseflies died after contact with CWO with the highest dose tested in a laboratory test. In a test where flies had CWO applied topically, mortality only reached 60% mortality. The crude CWO extract did show some repellency towards both German and American cockroaches. Cedrol, the major component of CWO, appeared somewhat attractive by itself. However, it is possible this observation may have been due to non-fatal effects causing decreased locomotion out of the treated area. These results demonstrate great potential for the use of CWO as an insect control agent using a safe natural material from a renewable and underutilized agricultural resource.

Technical Abstract: Heartwood samples from Juniperus virginiana, were extracted with liquid carbon dioxide and the bioactivity of carbon dioxide-derived cedarwood oil (CWO) towards several species of arthropods was investigated. Repellency or toxicity was tested for ants, ticks, and cockroaches. Ants in an outdoor bioassay were significantly repelled by the presence of cedarwood oil on a pole leading to a sugar-water solution. Similarly, imported red fire ants were repelled by CWO separating them from a food source. Black legged tick nymphs exhibited dosage dependent mortality when exposed to CWO and at the highest dosage tested the CWO killed 100 percent of the ticks. Adult houseflies exhibited over 90% mortality when exposed to the highest dose of CWO tested in a contact mortality bioassay and there was a clear dosage dependent mortality for houseflies in a topical mortality bioassay. However, the highest amount tested in the topical mortality only reached 60% mortality. The crude CWO extract did show some repellency towards both German and American cockroaches; however, the cedrol by itself appeared somewhat attractive, though the observed result may have been caused by sub-lethal effects causing decreased locomotion out of the treated area. These results together demonstrate a clear potential for the use of CWO as an insect control agent. Although some species were less affected than others, repellency or toxicity for others was extremely promising.