Composition and Toxicity of E ssential O il of Illicium simonsii Maxim (Illiciaceae) Fruit against the Maize Weevils

The e ssential oil of Illicium simonsii f ruit w as obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 40 components of the essential oil were identified. The principal compounds in I. simonsii fruit essential oil were β-caryophyllene (10.30%), δ-cadinene (9.52%), methyl eugenol ( 8 .94), β-elemene (5.84%), and α-amorphene (5.20%). The essential oil possess ed strong fumigant toxicity against S itophilus zeamais adults with a LC 50 value of 14.95 mg/ L air. The essential oil also show ed contact toxicity against S. zeamais adults with a LD 50 value of 112.74 µg/adult.