Efficacy of essential oils of Caesulia axillaris and Mentha arvensis against some storage pests causing biodeterioration of food commodities.

The essential oils of Caesulia axillaris and Mentha arvensis have been tested for their fumigant activity in the management of biodeterioration of stored wheat samples by Aspergillus flavus and the insect pests, Sitophilus oryzae and Tribolium castaneum, at 1300 and 600 ppm, respectively. The findings indicate the efficacy of the oils as potent fumigants for management of the biodeterioration of stored wheat samples. The oils also controlled the blue mould rot of oranges caused by Penicillium italicum and enhanced the market life of the oranges for a considerable period, showing their efficacy as postharvest fungicides of higher plant origin.