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Citrus peel essential oils are considered to constitute the most important resistance factor of citrus fruits against fruit flies. Essential oils were obtained from three sweet orange varieties, one bitter orange and one lemon variety. Yield, chemical composition and toxicity against neonates of the Mediterranean fruit fly were determined. Based on chemical analysis, the toxicity of commercially purchased major and minor components (monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes) of essential oils was determined. In addition, fractions were prepared to evaluate the role of minor components in the toxicity of crude essential oils. Limonene was by far the most abundant ingredient (96.2–97.4%) in all sweet orange varieties and in bitter orange, while the concentration of limonene was much lower in lemon essential oils (74.3%). Orange and bitter orange essential oils were more toxic than lemon essential oils. The toxicity of orange and …