Botanical Extracts Used Against Tribolium castaneum (Herbst): A Comprehensive Comparative Review up to 2025

Abstract

The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), is one of the most destructive cosmopolitan pests of stored grains and processed food products. Its remarkable adaptability, rapid life cycle, and increasing resistance to synthetic fumigants, such as phosphine, have intensified the search for safer and more sustainable alternatives. Botanical extracts, derived from plants rich in bioactive secondary metabolites, have shown promise as environmentally benign methods for controlling pests in stored products. This study offers a thorough, theoretical, and comparative synthesis of plant-derived chemicals, essential oils, and botanical extracts tested against T. castaneum until 2025. The modes of action, effectiveness comparisons, formulation advancements, possibilities for resistance management, and future research goals are highlighted.