Exploring the bioactive components and pesticidal applications of Hedychium coronarium J. Koenig in a comparative perspective

Hedychium coronarium commonly known as white ginger lily, is traditionally valued for its ornamental appeal and aromatic properties, yet its acaricidal potential remains underexplored. This study investigates the acaricidal, nematicidal and antifungal activities of essential oils (EOs) extracted from aerial and rhizome parts of H. coronarium collected from two eco-geographically distinct regions of India, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. Hydrodistillation followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed six predominant volatile compounds: 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, β-pinene, α-terpineol, β-caryophyllene, and caryophyllene oxide, with their concentrations markedly influenced by plant part and collection site. Notably, 1,8-cineole (33.7–42.2%) was abundant in rhizome oils, β-caryophyllene reached 9.5%, and α-fenchene (26.4%) was unique in Hedychium coronarium aerial part essential oil of West Bengal. These findings highlight the significant geographical and tissue-specific variation in EOs composition. Also, bioassays demonstrated that essential oil collected from West Bengal exhibited superior pesticidal performance, inducing 51.7% nematicidal mortality against Meloidogyne incognita and 67.04% acaricidal mortality against Oligonichus coffeae (Tea red spider mite) at 5.0 μL/mL. However, antifungal effects against Pestalotiopsis microspora were moderate. Additionally, in silico ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity) and molecular docking analysis predicted favourable pharmacokinetic and toxicity profiles for the key bioactives.