Botanical Pesticides

 

Botanical Pesticides

Some plants or parts of plants have pesticidal properties that are toxic to the pest population. Plants can be considered as a natural factory that produces a large number of biochemical. Secondary metabolites produced by plants are not essential to plants for their growth and development rather for the interaction of plants with their environment and they are produced in response to abiotic and biotic stresses. Secondary metabolites produced in plants can be grouped into four, terpenoids, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, and sulfur-containing compounds. Such, secondary metabolites are helpful in pest control in crop plants. The use of any form of plant extracts to control pests is not a new concept. But with increasing demand for food for an ever-increasing population has shifted to the development and adoption of synthetic chemicals as they are effective and quick in managing the pest problem. But in recent years people are becoming aware of the ill effects of the use of synthetic chemicals on human health and the environment and also due to the development of synthetic chemicals resistant to strains of pests, the concept of botanical pesticide is regaining its popularity. Botanical pesticides are safe plant protection products that are used to repel, inhibit growth or kill the pest which is derived from plants in different forms like dried plant material, unrefined plant extracts, or chemicals extracted from plants.

Advantages of botanical pesticides:

 1. Environment Friendly

 As they are natural substances they degrade smoothly in nature after application, thus there is less pollution to the environment.

2. Less toxic

Botanical pesticides are strong selectivity and only targeted pests or group of pests are affected. And they have a less residual effect so the products may be harvested shortly after application

3. They are friendly to Beneficial insects

Even though we want to get rid of pests from our field or garden but there are some insects like bees, spiders, dragonflies, etc., that are helpful. Insects that help in pollination, decomposition or natural enemies for pests are an important part of the environment and such organisms are considered beneficial and shouldn’t be harmed. Botanical pesticides being strongly selective do not harm them as long as you don’t spray directly on them.

4. Difficult for pests to develop resistance against botanical pesticides

5. They are not phytotoxic

Disadvantages of Botanical Pesticides

1. Cost

Most of the compounds of natural products have very complex structures and hence they are difficult to be synthesized or the costs of synthesis are very high. And the cost of the end product is also high.

2. Less stable

The active ingredients are prone to be decomposed and the preparations of complex compositions tiring and are also not easy to be standardized.

3. Slow effect

 Most of the botanical pesticides take a longer period to show their effect. So, they are not useful when an immediate effect is required

Some botanical pesticides that are commercially used are:

1. Azadirachtin

 Source: Neem trees (Azadirachta indica)

Part of plant used: Seed

 Action: Systemic poison

Affects on: Stem borers, Whiteflies, Bollworms, Leaf miners, Caterpillars, Aphids, Leafhoppers, Mites and Thrips

2.Pyrethrin

 Source: Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium

Part of plant used: Flowers

Action: Stomach poison

Affects on: Caterpillars, Aphids, Leafhoppers, Mites, Bugs, Cabbage worms, Beetles, etc.

3.Nicotine

Source: Tobacco plant(Nicotiana tabacum)

 Part of plants used: Leaves

Action: Contact and Fumigant action

Affect on: Aphids, thrips, and caterpillars

4.Rotenone

Source: Derris spp. and Lonchocarpus spp.

Part of plant used: Roots

 Action: contact and Stomach

Affect on: Aphids, Thrips, Caterpillars, etc

Botanical pesticides are attracting global attention as a safer strategy to manage different pest populations such as weeds, plant pathogens, and insects while posing less risk to human beings and the environment. To reduce the adverse effects of conventional pesticides, plant-based pesticides can be employed as an alternative or complementary tool in integrated pest management. However, problems related to low aqueous solubility, less stability, and oxidation when exposed to the sunlight need to be resolved before these compounds can be employed in integrated pest management.

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