The use of chemical pesticides to protect agricultural products is a global concern because of their adverse effects on the environment and public health. To avoid the dangers of synthetic herbicides, research has turned to natural alternatives. This study was conducted to evaluate the allelopathic effect of essential oil (EO) extracted from Origanum syriacum, Origanum onites, and Origanum majorana. In addition, the chemical composition of the essential oil was elucidated by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. A total of 11 different components of O.syriacum were identified, and the main components were carvacrol (88.49), p-Cymene (5.71), γ-Terpinene (1.63), β-Caryoplhyllene (1.48), and Terpinen-4-ol (0.65), respectively. For O. onites, 10 different compounds were identified, and the main components were carvacrol (58.65), Thymol (30.97), Linalool (4.17), p-Cymene (1.94), and β-Caryoplhyllene (0.98), respectively. Finally, for O. majorana, 14 different compounds were identified, and the main components were carvacrol (40.57), α-Terpineol (29.28), p-Cymene (9.02), γ-Terpinene (5.80), and carvacrol methyl ether (3.46). Finally, 14 compounds from the Origanum majorana species were identified, with carvacrol (40.57), -Terpineol (29.28), p-Cymene (9.02), and -Terpinene (5.80) as the parent compound (3.46). Oxygenated monoterpenes were the highest in all species’ EO content. EOs and plant extracts were tested at 5, 10, and 20 L/Petri concentrations against seed germination and seedling growth in four weed species (Thlaspi arvense, Amaranthus retroflexus, Rumex cripus, and Lactuca serriola). The concentrations of essential oil were set as 5, 10, and 20 µL/Petri dishes for seed germination. In the greenhouse experiment, the final concentration of solutions was set as 20 µL and the solutions were directly sprayed on the surface of the weeds, and the mortality rates were noted after 24 and 48 h of application. It was observed that increasing the application decreased seed germination. The phytotoxic effects on the seedling germination in the greenhouse were observed, resulting in 48.76–94% mortality rates. Consequently, the essential oil from Origanum species could be considered as an alternative bio-herbicide to tested weeds.

In the current study, we investigated the insecticidal efficacy of two borates, disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (Etidot‐67) and calcium metaborate (CMB) via surface application or diet delivery on the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst, 1797) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). The application method did not change the boron‐related mortality, but CMB was more effective than Etidot‐67. At the highest dose, it took around 13 days to reach the highest mortality (≥98.1%) for CMB, while it was 19 days for Etidot‐67 (≥95.8%). Both boron compounds led to a significant reduction in triglyceride levels in parallel to the downregulation of acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACC) and fatty acid synthase (FAS), the two primary genes involved in de novo lipogenesis, while they also induced body weight loss. In conclusion, the current study indicated the insecticidal potential of boron compounds but CMB is more promising and more effective in controlling T. castaneum, while lipogenesis is inhibited and weight loss is induced by boron compounds.

In the present study, ethanol extracts obtained from Satureja cilicica P. H. Davis, Satureja cuneifolia Ten, Satureja hortensis L., Satureja spicigera (C. Koch) Boiss., Satureja thymbra L. and Satureja montana L. were tested against on the adults and larvae of Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say, 1824)). The experiments were conducted in glass Petri dishes and vacuum desiccators including 15 individual for each period with three replicates under laboratory conditions. 10, 15 and 20 mg/mL doses of ethanol extracts conducted in the Petri dishes and the desiccators showed that depending on concentration increase and duration of exposure time resulted between 2.22-100% toxic effects on the potato beetle larvae and adults. In Petri trials, the highest mortality rate was recorded as 100% for the second larval stage at the 20 mg/mL dose of S. spicigera ethanol extract after 96 hours the treatment. In desiccator experiments, the highest toxicity rate was determined as 100% for first larval stage at the 20 mg/mL dose of S. thymbra ethanol extract after 96 hours of the application. In addition to, when LD values of the ethanol extracts were taken into account the highest toxicity of adult period was determined for S. thymbra extract (LD25: 0.000, LD50: 0.010 μL/insect), the lowest toxicity was determined for S. cilicica extract (LD90: 436.020 μL/insect). The results obtained from this study suggested that the ethanol extracts of tested Satureja L. species could be used for L. decemlineata larvae and adults as bio-larvicides and insecticides.

Tıbbi ve aromatik bitkilerin, farklı kullanım alanlarını değerlendirebilmek için içerdikleri antioksidan, fenolik ve besin element miktarlarının bilinmesi büyük önem arz etmektedir. Bu amaçla bu çalışmada, Malvaceae familyasına ait, Malva sylvestris L. ve Alcea rosea L. bitkilerinin antioksidan enzim aktivitesi ile toplam antioksidan, fenolik madde ve bitki besin element içerikleri belirlenmiştir. Çalışma sonucunda, en yüksek peroksidaz (POD), katalaz (CAT), süperoksid dismutaz (SOD) ve askorbat peroksidaz (AxPOD) enzim aktivitesi Alcea rosea L. bitkisinde ölçülmüştür. Toplam karotenoid ve toplam fenolik madde miktarı Malva sylvestris L. bitkisine göre Alcea rosea L. bitkisinde daha yüksek ölçülmüştür. Bitkilerin besin içerikleri değerlendirildiğinde en yüksek N, P, Na, Fe ve Mn miktarı Alcea rosea L. bitkisinde belirlenirken, K, Ca, Mg, Zn ve Cu miktarı ise en yüksek Malva sylvestris L. bitkisinde belirlenmiştir. Bu sonuçlara göre antioksidan, fenolik madde ve toplam karotenoid miktarları ile bazı bitki besin madde miktarları bakımından zengin olan Alcea rosea L. bitkisinin, farklı alanlarda kullanım potansiyelinin daha yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir.