Bemisia tabaci, also known as whitefly, is a significant agricultural pest that feeds on a wide range of crops and causes extensive damage, leading to significant yield losses and reduced crop quality, causing losses of billions of dollars on the American continent. Several pesticides are used to control B. tabaci, but they can have adverse effects on human health and the environment. As an alternative, essential oils (EOs) are gaining increasing attention due to concerns over the safety and environmental impact of synthetic pesticides. In this context, it is necessary to optimize scientific information on the insecticidal action of natural products found in American countries against B. tabaci, so this review discusses the insecticidal activity of EOs from various plant species. Among the studied EOs, those of the Rutaceae family are highly efficient, with Citrus aurantiifolium and Citrus limon having the highest insecticidal and deterrent activities due to their high concentration of α-terpineol. Other EOs from disseminated American plants, such as Pelargonium graveolens, Piper callosum, and Laurel nobilis, also showed significant insecticidal and deterrent activities. Hence, the review highlights that the America-available EOs can be used as a sustainable alternative to the control of B. tabaci.
Key words: Insecticidal activity, plant resources, biodiversity, biological control, sustainability
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