Vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides), a fast-growing native plant of India cultivated worldwide to control soil erosion, is naturally resistant to arthropod pests and diseases. Vetiver oil, extracted from the roots, is a complex mixture of more than 300 compounds, among which six are reported to possess insect repellent properties. As part of our research on natural products efficacy against Formosan subterranean termite, we focused on vetiver oil. Nootkatone was isolated as a component of vetiver oil and we found that this sesquiterpenoid ketone disrupts the behavior of termites and acts as a repellent, a feeding deterrent and a toxicant. This paper will present research on the effects of nootkatone on arthropods other than termites.
Keywords: vetiver oil, insects
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA