Increased demand for food to feed the ever-growing population led to development and adoption of synthetic chemicals as a quick and effective strategy of managing crop pests and diseases. However, overreliance on synthetic pesticides is discouraged due to their detrimental effects on human health, the environment, and development of resistant pest and pathogen strains. This, coupled with increasing demand for organically produced foods, stimulated search for alternative approaches and botanical pesticides are particularly gaining importance. Botanical pesticides are efficacious in managing different crop pests, inexpensive, easily biodegraded, have varied modes of action, their sources are easily available and have low toxicity to non-target organisms. Their varied modes of action are attributed to the phytochemical composition in different plants. Therefore, they can be incorporated into integrated pest management systems and contribute to sustainable agricultural production. Nevertheless, botanical pesticides have not been fully adopted due to challenges in formulation and commercialization which are attributed to lack of chemical data and positive controls. Many publications have featured botanical pesticides with skewed interest towards management of insect pests. This review brings together information regarding botanical pesticides, their phytochemical composition and mechanisms of action against pests of importance in agricultural production. The paper also presents chemistry data of selected botanical pesticides, their biodegradation, role in integrated pest management and the challenges facing their adoption and utilization for sustainable crop pest management.

Phytochemical activity and role of botanical pesticides in pest management for sustainable agricultural crop production

Pest management is being confronted with immense economic and environmental issues worldwide because of massive utilization and over-reliance on pesticides. The non-target toxicity, residual consequence, and challenging biodegradability of these synthetic pesticides have become a serious concern, which urgently requires the alternative and prompt adoption of sustainable and cost-effective pest control measures. Increasing attention in environmental safety has triggered interest in pest control approaches through eco-friendly plant-based pesticides. Botanical pesticidal constituents are effective against myriads of destructive pests and diseases. More importantly, they are widely available, inexpensive, accessible, rapidly biodegradable, and have little toxicity to beneficiary agents. The phytochemical compositions in diverse plant species are responsible for their varying mechanisms of action against pests and diseases. However, difficulties in their formulation and insufficient appropriate chemical data have led to a low level of acceptance and adoption globally. Therefore, the review seeks to highlight the status, phytochemical compositions, insecticidal mechanisms, and challenges of plant-based pesticide usage in sustainable agricultural production.

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Use of Botanical Pesticides in Agriculture as an Alternative to Synthetic Pesticides

Datura, a genus of medicinal herb from the Solanaceae family, is credited with toxic as well as medicinal properties. The different plant parts of Datura sp., mainly D. stramonium L., commonly known as Datura or Jimson Weed, exhibit potent analgesic, antiviral, anti-diarrheal, and anti-inflammatory activities, owing to the wide range of bioactive constituents. With these pharmacological activities, D. stramonium is potentially used to treat numerous human diseases, including ulcers, inflammation, wounds, rheumatism, gout, bruises and swellings, sciatica, fever, toothache, asthma, and bronchitis. The primary phytochemicals investigation on plant extract of Datura showed alkaloids, carbohydrates, cardiac glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, amino acids, and phenolic compounds. It also contains toxic tropane alkaloids, including atropine, scopolamine, and hyoscamine. Although some studies on D. stramonium have reported potential pharmacological effects, information about the toxicity remains almost uncertain. Moreover, the frequent abuse of D. stramonium for recreational purposes has led to toxic syndromes. Therefore, it becomes necessary to be aware of the toxic aspects and the potential risks accompanying its use. The present review aims to summarize the phytochemical composition and pharmacological and toxicological aspects of the plant Datura.

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Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Toxicology of Datura Species-A Review.

Botanical Insecticides Are a Non-Toxic Alternative to Conventional Pesticides in the Control of Insects and Pests

Doses of 5,10,15, 20 and 25 g of three plant powders,Atractylisgummifera rhizome (AGRP), Daphne gnidium (DGP) and Thapsiagarganica (TGP), were added to 100 g of durum wheat to study their insectici...

Efficacy of three vegetal powders against Sitophilus granarius in stored wheat and the evaluation of their effect on grain parameters

The insecticidal property of Datura stramonium seed extracts against the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae was tested in the laboratory. The experiments were conducted at (28±3) C and (78±3) % relative humidity. It was observed that Soxhlet’s extracted extracts of D. stramonium seed in ethanol, chloroform and acetone were very effective to control the pest while extracts in methanol and n-hexane gave poor results. The probit analysis of data demonstrated that LD10, LD50 and LD90 values for ethanol, chloroform and acetone extracts was LD10 = 2.962, 3.080, 0.4752 ml/Kg, LD50 = 8.594, 7.379, 1.185 ml/Kg and LD90 = 24.94, 17.67, 2.957 ml/Kg respectively for 96 hrs. These results suggest that the mortality increased with increase in concentration as well as exposure time and the extracts of D. stramonium seed may be of high value in grain storage against S. oryzae, especially in subsistence agriculture where the plants are locally available to farmers with little resources. Hence, we conclude that extracts of D. stramonium seed served as being a potential insecticidal agent can be used against rice weevil, S. oryzae after proper dose formulation to prevent infestation in wheat and even other grains during storage.

Insecticidal property of Datura stramonium L. seed extracts against Sitophilus oryzae L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in stored wheat grains

The insecticidal property of dry leaves of Vitex negundo against the Sitophilus granarius in the laboratory at (28±3) 0C and (78±3) % r. h. with Soxhlet extracted extracts of V. negundo leaves in ethanol, methanol, chloroform, acetone and n-Hexane were tested and found very effective to control the store grain insect pest. The biopesticidal effects of extracts in different solvents were compared by calculating LD10, LD50, LD90 and LD99 values for 96 hrs. The Probit analysis of data demonstrated that LD values for ethanol, methanol, chloroform, acetone and n-Hexane extracts were LD10 – 1.216, 1.141, 0.9298, 1.265, 0.5398 ml/Kg; LD50 – 2.997, 3.106, 2.490, 3.727, 1.302 ml/Kg; LD90 – 7.392, 8.457, 6.667, 10.98, 3.142 ml/Kg and LD99 –15.43, 19.14, 14.88, 26.50, 6.439 ml/Kg respectively, for 96 hrs. These results demonstrated that the mortality increased with increase in concentration of extract and exposure time. There was nearly zero fecundity and next generation was not observed in treated grains. The extracts of V. negundo leaf may be of high value in grain storage against S. granarius, especially in subsistence agriculture where the plants are locally available to local farmers. Hence, we conclude that the ethanol, chloroform and n-Hexane extracts from V. negundo leaf are more effective and useful. It served as being a potential insecticidal agent and could be applicable to the management of populations of stored-product insects particularly against the infestation by granary weevil, S. granarius after proper dose formulation.

https://www.entomoljournal.com/archives/2020/vol8issue2/PartZ/8-2-222-960.pdf

Bioinsecticidal activity of Vitex negundo L. (Family: Verbenaceae) leaf extracts against Sitophilus granarius L. in stored maize grains

The present study deals with the effect of storage on Apis mellifera honey quality parameters harvested from Kannad taluka of Aurangabad district (M.S.), India. Honey quality parameters like pH, electrical conductivity, moisture content, proline content, HMF content, invertase and diastase activity were measured by AOAC method (2000) at intervals of each six month for the period of 24 month. Student’s T-Test was applied to the analyzed data. Results clearly indicates that the pH, electrical conductivity, moisture content and HMF content were increased with the increasing of storage period and concentration of proline, invertase and diastase number were decreased with the increasing of storage time limit. The said physicochemical parameters of honey sample were found statistically significant according to their storage time limit. The obtained data also clearly demonstrate that the invertase is more sensitive than the diastase and HMF content to the storage as well as heat treatment of honey. 

Effect of storage on various honey quality parameters of Apis mellifera honey harvested from Kannad region, Aurangabad

The concentrations of eight essential minerals Ca, Cr, Co Cu, Fe, Mn, Ag, Zn and five toxic trace metals As, Cd, Pb, Hg and Ni were determined in blended raw honey, soil, leaf and flowers harvested from different locations of Kannad taluka. Result reveals that all honey samples from the agricultural and roadside area were contaminated with toxic trace metals. The honey samples harvested from forest areas have no or lower concentrations of toxic trace metals than the permissible limits set by Indian standards (2010). The concentrations of these metals in honey samples investigated do not pose any serious concern to human health except for honey harvested from the roadside area. Hence, the honey produced from Kannad taluka can be considered nutritionally safe and represents good quality. The present data also indicate that the levels of toxic trace metals in honey are comparatively more in roadway areas than in agricultural and forest areas. The essential minerals in soil, leaf and flower samples are comparatively more in agricultural areas than roadway and forest areas. The toxic trace metals are more on roadway sides than in agricultural and forest areas.

https://www.entomoljournal.com/archives/2022/vol10issue1/PartD/10-1-41-877.pdf

Assessment of essential minerals and toxic trace metals in blended raw honey, soil, leaf and flower samples harvested from different locations of Kannad Taluka of Aurangabad District

Abstract: The aim of present investigation was to study the antifungal activity of raw honey of three honeybee species collected from Kannad taluka of Aurangabad district. Honey samples were collected and assayed against three fungal species by using Agar well diffusion method. All honey samples showed sensitivity against all the fungal species. The zone of inhibition clearly showed that honey obtained from Apis florea and Apis cerana indica having highest antifungal activity, while honey sample of Apis dorsata showed minimum antifungal activity. The most sensitive fungi were Aspergillus and Fusarium, while Alternaria spp. was less sensitive to the inhibitory action of honey. Keywords: Honey, Apis dorsata, Apis florea, Apis cerana indica, zone of inhibition, antifungal activity, sensitivity, etc.

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Nilesh Jawalkar

Papers

Insecticidal property of Datura stramonium L. seed extracts against Sitophilus oryzae L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in stored wheat grains

Bioinsecticidal activity of Vitex negundo L. (Family: Verbenaceae) leaf extracts against Sitophilus granarius L. in stored maize grains

Effect of storage on various honey quality parameters of Apis mellifera honey harvested from Kannad region, Aurangabad

Assessment of essential minerals and toxic trace metals in blended raw honey, soil, leaf and flower samples harvested from different locations of Kannad Taluka of Aurangabad District

Antifungal Activity of Raw Honey of Three Honeybee Species Harvested from Kannad Taluka of Aurangabad District (M. S.), India