ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Natural oils as botanical acaricides: linking chemical composition, enzymatic disruption, and antioxidant capacity in the control of Tetranychus urticae
1
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Egypt
2
Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Mites Department, Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Cairo, Egypt
These authors had equal contribution to this work
A - Research concept and design; B - Collection and/or assembly of data; C - Data analysis and interpretation; D - Writing the article; E - Critical revision of the article; F - Final approval of article
Submission date: 2025-05-11
Acceptance date: 2025-09-17
Online publication date: 2026-05-28
Corresponding author
Mona A Mohammed
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Egypt
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Egypt
HIGHLIGHTS
- Tea tree oil showed strongest acaricidal activity against Tetranychus urticae
- Pumpkin seed and wheat germ oils showed moderate acaricidal effects
- Tea tree oil significantly increased GST, CarE, and α-esterase levels in mites
- Acetylcholinesterase activity decreased after exposure to tea tree oil
- Natural oils offer eco-friendly alternatives for managing spider mite infestations
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
The two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) is a major agricultural pest, with
increasing resistance to synthetic pesticides thereby, driving the search for natural alternatives.
This study evaluated the acaricidal and antioxidant activities of tea tree oil (TTO,
Melaleuca alternifolia (Maiden and Betch) Cheel), pumpkin seed oil (PSO, Cucurbita pepo
L.), and wheat germ oil (WGO, Triticum aestivum L.) against T. urticae. Laboratory trials
determined LC50 and LC90 values for adults and eggs. Biochemical effects on mites surviving
TTO exposure were assessed by analyzing glutathione S-transferase (GST), acetylcholinesterase
(AchE), carboxylesterase (CarE), and α-esterases activities. Antioxidant activity
was evaluated via DPPH and ABTS assays. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
(GC-MS) identified 24 compounds in TTO, with 4-terpineol (36.65%) and γ-terpinene
(17.66%) as major components. TTO showed the highest acaricidal activity (LC50 of 0.3%
for adults and 1.8% for eggs), outperforming PSO and WGO. TTO exposure significantly
disrupted key enzymatic activities, impairing mite survival. Among the oils, TTO
exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity. The antioxidant assays revealed that while all
three oils demonstrated dose-dependent antioxidant effects, TTO was markedly more effective
than PSO and WGO, although less potent than vitamin C and Trolox. Additionally,
TTO exposure resulted in significant reductions in detoxification enzyme activity, particularly
GST and AchE, highlighting a biochemical mechanism underlying its acaricidal
action. The lipophilic properties of TTO likely enhance its penetration through the mite
cuticle, increasing its efficacy. These findings support the use of plant-derived oils as ecofriendly
alternatives for sustainable pest management and suggest potential for further development
into natural pesticide formulations.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude
to the National Research Center, for their valuable
support and technical assistance throughout this work.
Special thanks are also extended to the Agricultural Research
Center, for providing the necessary facilities and
resources that made this research possible.
RESPONSIBLE EDITOR
Piotr Iwaniuk
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors have declared that no conflict of interests exist.
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