An Evaluation of Thyme Extract Effects on Controlling Aganoscena Pistaciae

Introduction: Pistachio trees belong to the family Anacarthias. This species grows in almost tropical climates. It is worth noting that pistachio trees were planted many years ago. Destructive effects of pesticides on other creatures, poisonings caused by the usage of pesticides among people, and costs of producing chemical pesticides should be investigated thoughtfully. This paper aims to investigate thyme extract effects on controlling pests and reducing the application of chemical pesticides. Materials and Methods: In this research, a factorial test was done with a random block design with 4 treatments in four repeats. According to the results obtained, use of water, non-use of water, and thyme had the most significant effects. Sampling was done in 4 stages after 3, 7, 14, and 21 days from scattering the solution. To prepare the extract, different analyses were made based on pesticide effects. Results: The results showed that the response of nymphs and the egg number in pistachio trees to the application of the thyme extract and different doses of it was significant. The lowest number of nymphs and eggs was observed at dose 2.5, yet the highest number of nymphs was observed at dose 0, or when distilled water was used. Besides, the lowest number of eggs was observed at dose 2.5 with the mean being 39.87; in contrast, the highest number of eggs was observed at dose 0 when distilled water was used with 63.2 eggs. Conclusion: The research results showed that the effects of the extract type on the number of insect nymphs and eggs were significant at the probability of 1%. Besides, the thyme extract reduced the number of nymphs and eggs compared to the control and water treatment.