Comparative Compositional Analysis and Pesticidal Efficacy of Essential Oils from Leaves of Skimmia Aanquetilia N.P. Taylor and Airy Shaw

The objective of the current study was to re-examine the chemical components of the essential oil (EO) from the aerial parts of Skimmia anquetilia N.P. Taylor & Airy Shaw in two different seasons designated as Skimmia anquetilia rainy season essential oil (SKREO) and Skimmia anquetilia winter season essential oil (SKWEO). The GC-MS analysis of SKREO and SKWEO resulted in the identification of 42 and 48 constituents, comprising of 95.3 % and 95.4 % of the total composition respectively. Both SKREO and SKWEO varied in their chemical composition in terms of quantity viz: linalyl acetate (15.8% - 17.6%), linalool (13.2% - 13.9%), geijerene (11.6% - 11.7%), α-thujene (11.3% - 11.1%), α-terpineol (6.1% - 6.1%), geranyl acetate (5.0% - 5.1%), α-terpinyl acetate (3.3% - 3.1%), myrcene (3.0% - 3.1%), geraniol (2.6% - 1.9%), α-pinene (2.1% - 2.2%), trans-β-ocimene (2.1% - 2.3%), cis-β-ocimene (2.0% - 2.2%) and neryl acetate (2.3% - 2.4%). Besides qualitative differences SKREO and SKWEO, both were studied for their pesticidal activities. The study exhibited potent antifeedant activity against Spodoptera litura and nematicidal activity against Meloidogyne incognita. Based on the present observations, it was found that besides its academic importance, shrub Skimmia anquetilia can be a good source of phytochemicals like linalyl acetate, linalool, geijerene, thujene and can be used for the development of herbal source for antifeedant and nematicidal activity after proper clinical trials.