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A method for reducing environmental pollution by using essential oils in rodent pest management program

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Abstract

Strong-smelling plant extracts, such as essential oils, have a variety of feeding effects on mammals. Considering current concerns over long-term health issues and environmental effects of chemicals, plant-based products with repellent or antifungal activities may represent good solutions for improvement of rodent pest control programs. The present study was therefore focused on examining the effects of bergamot, lavender, and thyme essential oils as additional bait components on daily intakes of cereal-based baits by wild house mice. Lavender essential oil, containing linalool and linalyl acetate as main components, and thyme essential oil with a prevailing thymol component had no effects on house mice diet. Bergamot essential oil, whose main components were linalool, limonene, and linalyl acetate, showed a repellent effect on house mouse diet.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (grant no. III 46008) and (grant no. TR 31043).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pesticides and Environmental Protection, Banatska 31b, POB 163, Belgrade-Zemun, 11080, Serbia

    Goran Jokić, Tanja Blažić, Rada Đurović-Pejčev, Tijana Đorđević, Suzana Đedović & Marina Vukša

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  1. Goran Jokić
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  2. Tanja Blažić
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  3. Rada Đurović-Pejčev
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  4. Tijana Đorđević
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  5. Suzana Đedović
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  6. Marina Vukša
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Correspondence to Goran Jokić.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Jokić, G., Blažić, T., Đurović-Pejčev, R. et al. A method for reducing environmental pollution by using essential oils in rodent pest management program. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 18257–18262 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9533-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9533-0

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