Chemical Characteristics of Mentha spicata L. Essential Oil and Aphicidal Effect on Survival and Biodemographic Parameters of Myzus persicae (Sulzer, 1776)

Pests are a major threat to increased crop production, and their protection often depends on synthetic chemicals. The widespread use of synthetic insecticides has led to serious adverse effects, such as insecticide resistance, impacts on non-target organisms, and environmental contamination. These concerns have prompted the evaluation of sustainable methods as alternative or complementary tools in integrated pest management. In this context, essential oil extracted from green mint (Mentha spicata L.) was tested for its insecticidal activity against Myzus persicae (Sulzer, 1776) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), which is considered a major pest and polyphage. The essential oil was extracted using vapo-hydrodistillation. The molecular composition was determined using GC-MS. Increasing concentrations of this organic extract were tested on adults to estimate lethal concentrations and on the nymphal stage to determine the effect on the life table of this pest in vitro. The obtained results showed that the essential oil of M. spicata L. was characterized by a composition dominated by monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, where the major components were eucalyptol, carvone, D-limonene, borneol, and caryophyllene. The effect of this oil on M. persicae depends on the concentration and time of exposure, and as these increase, the mortality rate reaches a certain threshold. The lethal concentrations (LC50–LC90) of the essential oil were calculated as 3.561–29.756 µL mL−1 after 24 h and 1.705–8.695 µL mL−1 after 48 h, respectively. The concentrations tested on the nymphs of this oil showed an inverse concentration–duration relationship, which resulted in decreases in longevity, fertility, reproductive period, and the defined rate of aphid growth, while the instantaneous mortality rate and population doubling rate increased with increasing concentration. These results may be useful for further research to develop effective biological insecticides against this and other species.