Abstract
The use of essential oils from certain herbal plants offers a promising alternative to synthetic insecticides for controlling the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae), a major pest that causes significant damage to stored grains. Essential oils, particularly from aromatic herbs in the Apiaceae family, are widely used in medicinal, cosmetic, and food industries and provided insecticidal properties to mitigate the environmental and health hazards associated with synthetic insecticides. This research aimed to investigate the insecticidal and repellent effects of Apium graveolens L. (celery) seed essential oil against S. zeamais. Chemical analysis of the commercially produced essential oil from A. graveolens seeds was conducted using a gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer (GC-MS), and the biological activity of the essential oil was determined by ingestion, contact, fumigation, and repellent tests. The analysis identified D-limonene (64.21%) and α-humulene (17.46%) as primary components of the oil. Toxicity assays revealed an observable contact toxicity, with higher concentrations and prolonged exposure increasing its effectiveness. The contact toxicity assays reported an LC50 of 19.83 nL/adult after 72 h. Additionally, the essential oil displayed repellent effects, effectively deterring weevils at concentrations above 16 µL/L air, but its feeding deterrence was weak. The essential oil’s strong insecticidal and repellent properties, which were concentration- and time-dependent, highlighted its potential as a sustainable alternative to synthetic pesticides for integrated pest management.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
D-limonene constituted 64.21% of celery seed oil.
- Taxon
- Apium graveolens L.
Apium graveolenst0 - Outcome
- D-limonenee0
- Value
- 64.21%e0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
%2C_Elswick%2C_Northumberland_4.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“The analysis identified D-limonene (64.21%) and α-humulene (17.46%) as primary components of the oil.”
t0“Apium graveolens L.”
Claim · model-written summary
α-humulene constituted 17.46% of celery seed oil.
- Taxon
- Apium graveolens L.
Apium graveolenst0 - Outcome
- α-humulenee0
- Value
- 17.46%e0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
%2C_Elswick%2C_Northumberland_4.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“The analysis identified D-limonene (64.21%) and α-humulene (17.46%) as primary components of the oil.”
t0“Apium graveolens L.”
Claim · model-written summary
Celery essential oil exhibited contact toxicity against S. zeamais.
- Taxon
- S. zeamais
Sitophilus zeamaise1 - Treatment
- Apium graveolens L. (celery) seed essential oile1
- Outcome
- contact toxicitye0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Toxicity assays revealed an observable contact toxicity, with higher concentrations and prolonged exposure increasing its effectiveness.”
e1“the insecticidal and repellent effects of Apium graveolens L. (celery) seed essential oil against S. zeamais.”
Claim · model-written summary
Higher oil concentrations increased contact toxicity effectiveness.
- Taxon
- S. zeamais
Sitophilus zeamaise1 - Treatment
- higher concentrationse0
- Outcome
- effectivenesse0
- Direction
- increasinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Toxicity assays revealed an observable contact toxicity, with higher concentrations and prolonged exposure increasing its effectiveness.”
e1“the insecticidal and repellent effects of Apium graveolens L. (celery) seed essential oil against S. zeamais.”
Claim · model-written summary
Longer exposure increased contact toxicity effectiveness.
- Taxon
- S. zeamais
Sitophilus zeamaise1 - Treatment
- prolonged exposuree0
- Outcome
- effectivenesse0
- Direction
- increasinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Toxicity assays revealed an observable contact toxicity, with higher concentrations and prolonged exposure increasing its effectiveness.”
e1“the insecticidal and repellent effects of Apium graveolens L. (celery) seed essential oil against S. zeamais.”
Claim · model-written summary
Contact toxicity LC50 was 19.83 nL/adult after 72 hours.
- Taxon
- S. zeamais
Sitophilus zeamaise1 - Treatment
- Apium graveolens L. (celery) seed essential oile1
- Outcome
- LC50e0
- Value
- 19.83 nL/adulte0
- Qualifier
- after 72 he0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“The contact toxicity assays reported an LC50 of 19.83 nL/adult after 72 h.”
e1“the insecticidal and repellent effects of Apium graveolens L. (celery) seed essential oil against S. zeamais.”
Claim · model-written summary
Oil repelled weevils at concentrations above 16 µL/L air.
- Taxon
- weevilsCurculionidaee0
- Treatment
- essential oile0
- Outcome
- repellent effectse0
- Direction
- deterringe0
- Qualifier
- concentrations above 16 µL/L aire0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Additionally, the essential oil displayed repellent effects, effectively deterring weevils at concentrations above 16 µL/L air, but its feeding deterrence was weak.”
Claim · model-written summary
Oil feeding deterrence was weak.
- Taxon
- weevilsCurculionidaee0
- Outcome
- feeding deterrencee0
- Qualifier
- weake0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Additionally, the essential oil displayed repellent effects, effectively deterring weevils at concentrations above 16 µL/L air, but its feeding deterrence was weak.”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors highlight oil as a potential sustainable alternative pesticide for integrated pest management.
- Taxon
- Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky
Sitophilus zeamaist0 - Outcome
- sustainable alternative to synthetic pesticides for integrated pest managemente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“The essential oil’s strong insecticidal and repellent properties, which were concentration- and time-dependent, highlighted its potential as a sustainable alternative to synthetic pesticides for integrated pest management.”
t0“Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky”
The same questions in other papers
botanical · pest · Sitophilus zeamais (maize weevil)Results agree
3 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
- positive
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.