A survey of plants used by rural small-scale farmers to control pests of cabbage in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Abstract

Background: Resource-poor small-scale farmers often cannot afford the high prices of chemical insecticides to control pests on crops; as a result, some use botanical insecticides. Aim: The aim of the study was to document ethnobotanical pest control methods used by rural small-scale farmers to control pests of cabbage in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Setting: 217 rural small-scale crop-producing farmers from 14 towns in the Amathole, Joe Gqabi, Alfred Nzo, Chris Hani and OR Tambo Districts participated in the study. Methods: Questionnaires were administered to consenting farmers between July and November in 2012, using the convenience and stratified purposive sampling techniques. Data collected were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis. Results: The majority of farmers using botanical insecticides were females above the age of 60 years. The farmers identified 23 plants, which they use in their pest control strategies against seven pests of cabbage. The annual herb Tagetes minuta L. (Asteraceae) was cited as the most commonly used herb by 47% of the respondents, followed by Chenopodium ambrosioides L. (Chenopodiceae), Aloe ferox Mills. (Asphodelaceae) and Nicotiana tabacum L. (Solanaceae). Various plant parts were used in combinations or alone in the preparation of formulations mainly against aphids, cutworms and the diamondback moth. Conclusion: The plants, plant parts, combinations and formulations used by farmers in their cabbage pest control strategies need to be scientifically authenticated for efficacy.

Ethnobotanical Survey of Plants Used by Subsistence Farmers in Mitigating Cabbage and Spinach Diseases in OR Tambo Municipality, South Africa

“…The majority of the members in the family have allelopathic properties, and hence may offer crop protection [ 42 ]. Most of the plant species reported were herbs (59%), which is similar to a study by Skenjana and Poswal [ 20 ], where the majority of the plants reported to be used for pest control in cabbage were herbs. The rest of the plant species were shrubs (35%) and trees (6%).…”

“…In Eastern Cape, the use of plant extracts still plays a bigger role in crop protection, likely due to their accessibility and availability. However, most of the ethnobotanical studies conducted have focused on medicinal plants that are used to control pests, insects, and nematodes [ 20 , 43 ]. Currently, only limited data exist on plants used in controlling crop diseases caused by microbes.…”

“…Tulbaghia violacea Harv., Aloe ferox Mill., and Capsicum annuum L. had the highest use values of 0.32 each, whereas Tulbaghia violacea had the highest relative frequency of citation value of 0.39 ( Table 2 ). Tulbaghia violacea (leaves), Aloe ferox (leaves), Allium cepa (leaves and bulb), and Capsicum annuum (pods) have also been reported to have the potential to control pests in cabbage [ 20 ]. Aloe ferox (leaves), Allium cepa (seeds), and Capsicum annuum (fruits) are known to control pathogens and pests associated with potato [ 48 , 49 , 50 ].…”

“…Besides controlling crop pathogens, Capiscum annuum and Nicotiana tabacum have been reported to control pests on field crops, whereas Tagetes minuta is effective for controlling pests of stored crops [ 51 ]. The study by Skenjana and Poswal [ 20 ] alluded to the pesticidal activity of Nicotiana tabacum , Capsicum annuum , Tagetes minuta , Artemisia afra , Tulbaghia violacea , Allium cepa , and Aloe ferox for the protection of cabbage, which inevitably contributes to food security. According to the participants, these medicinal plants were locally available, cost effective, and environmentally friendly.…”

“…For instance, various communities in Nigeria use extracts made from Azadirachta indica , Nicotiana tabacum , Alstonia boonei , Capsicum frutescens , Annona squamosa , Garcina kola , Justicia adhatoda , Lantana camara , Eucalyptus camaldulensis , Moringa oleifera , Ocimum spp., and Zingiber officinale to control maize weevil [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. In the Eastern Cape, some communities use extracts made from Solanum umtuma, Solanum giganteum , Nicotiana tabacum , Nicotiana glauca , Capsicum annuum , Biden pilosa , Aloe ferox , Aloe vera , Allium sativum , Allium cepa , Tulbaghia violacea, and Aloe maculata to control pests in cabbage [ 20 , 21 ].…”