Several studies have demonstrated the effects of essential oils on insect pests. These effects vary and affect fundamental parameters for the survival of these organisms. However, there is a scarcity of research on the effect of these substances on Alabama argillacea (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), the main defoliating pest of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the activity of essential oils from Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers., Melaleuca alternifolia Cheel, Juniperus virginiana L., and Mentha spicata L., on the biological and reproductive parameters of A. argillacea and the consequent effects on the gonads of both males and females of this pest. All essential oils presented toxicity by contact in third instar larvae of A. argillacea, causing a reduction in the weight of larvae and pupae, as well as affecting the number and viability of eggs. These essential oils changed the histochemistry of the testicles, and M. alternifolia, J. virginiana, and M. spicata also affected their morphology. The histochemistry of the ovarioles was altered by the essential oils from M. alternifolia, J. virginiana, and L. cubeba. Thus, the essential oils tested in the present work are promising for the control of A. argillacea, as they are toxic and affect the development and reproduction of this key pest of cotton.
Keywords: Biological parameters; Botanical insecticides; Cotton worm; Gonads; Histochemistry.
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