Ethnobotanicals in Ghana: reviving and modernising age-old farmer practice

doi:10.1039/b110542f

Cited by 42 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…In storage application trials, ground chili pepper fruits controlled the cowpea weevil Callosobruchus maculatus in 2 studies (Onu and Aliyu 1995;Yusuf et al 2011) but was not effective in a third study (Boeke et al 2004b) (Table 1). However, the efficacy of this practice is supported by farmer participatory trials conducted over 5 years in Ghana (Belmain and Stevenson 2001). Moreover, a study by Belmain et al (1999) has shown that chili pepper was effective in killing and repelling various species of weevil attacking stored grains, although this publication does not provide exact figures.…”

Section: Chili Peppers (Capsicum Spp)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Results of storage trials are inconsistent, with 1 out of 3 trials showing no efficacy against coleopteran pests (Law-Ogbomo and Enobakhare 2007;Mlambo et al 2017;Osipitan et al 2014). However, the efficacy of clove basil in storage applications is supported by farmer participatory trials (Belmain and Stevenson 2001), indicating the adequacy of this botanical for storage applications.…”

Section: Clove Basil (Ocimum Gratissimum)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Botanicals were used for control of agricultural pests in ancient China, Egypt, Greece, and India already two millennia ago (Isman 2006). Still today, traditional pest control using botanicals for the protection of field crops or during storage is widespread and popular among subsistence and transitional farmers (Belmain and Stevenson 2001;Gerken et al 2001). For example, up to 100% of the farmers in some regions of Zimbabwe and Uganda report using botanicals or have used them (Makaza and Mabhegedhe 2016;Nyirenda et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Efficacy of homemade botanical insecticides based on traditional knowledge. A review

Dougoud

Toepfer

Bateman

et al. 2019

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

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Homemade botanical insecticides are widely used by subsistence and transitional farmers in low-income countries. Their use is often driven by the limited availability or cost of commercial pesticides. Homemade botanical insecticides are often recommended by agricultural extension services and some development organizations. However, this could be questioned because scientific evidence of their efficacy and safety may not be available or accessible. Although botanicals with insecticidal properties have been widely studied, a synthesis focusing specifically on homemade preparations used in realistic field or storage conditions is missing. In this paper, we review efficacy assessments of botanicals used to prepare homemade insecticides. This covers twelve botanicals recommended by national extension partners in 20 countries within the global agricultural Plantwise program. These are as follows: garlic (Allium sativum), neem (Azadirachta indica), chili pepper (Capsicum spp.), Siam weed (Chromolaena odorata), mother of cocoa (Gliricidia sepium), chinaberry (Melia azedarach), moringa (Moringa oleifera), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum), tephrosia (Tephrosia vogelii), tree marigold (Tithonia diversifolia), and bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina). This review shows that (1) all the selected botanicals contain active ingredients with insecticidal, antifeedant, or repellent properties, and (2) homemade insecticides based on all the selected botanicals have been used with some success to control pests or prevent damage, although efficacy was variable and often lower than the positive controls (synthetic pesticides). Factors affecting the efficacy of homemade botanical insecticide include variation in active ingredient content and concentration in plant material, as well as variation in the preparation process. In conclusion, there is some evidence that homemade botanical insecticides could contribute to reducing losses in food production. Since further research is needed to better understand their variable efficacy and potential health and environmental risks, those who promote the use of homemade botanical insecticides should also communicate those "unknowns" to the farmers who use such products.

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Section: Chili Peppers (Capsicum Spp)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Clove Basil (Ocimum Gratissimum)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Efficacy of homemade botanical insecticides based on traditional knowledge. A review

Dougoud

Toepfer

Bateman

et al. 2019

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

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“…Efforts to increase pyrethrum production and to develop neem-based (Azadirachta indica) (Sapindales: Meliaceae) products in Africa have faced growing international competition from Australia, China, India and Brazil (Isman, 2004;Wilson, 2014). However, many other plant species with pesticidal properties have been documented to be used in sub-Saharan Africa (Anjarwalla et al, 2016;Belmain and Stevenson, 2001), many of which could have potential to be developed as new non-food crops. Particularly fast-growing weed species that are often highly abundant and invasive could be relatively easy to propagate at large scale for processing in to new botanical pesticides.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasive weeds with pesticidal properties as potential new crops

Mkindi

Mpumi

Tembo

et al. 2017

Industrial Crops and Products

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Plants with pesticidal properties have been investigated for decades as alternatives to synthetics, but only a handful have been commercialised and developed as non-food cash crops. One of the reasons why pesticidal plants are failing to deliver new pesticidal products is that they are often not evaluated under field conditions by farmers. Furthermore, many aspects of pesticide use related to environmental safety, such as their impact on beneficial organisms, remain under-evaluated. With a view to overcoming these bottlenecks, extracts made from six abundant weed species found across sub-Saharan Africa (Bidens pilosa, Lantana camara, Lippia javanica, Tithonia diversifolia, Tephrosia vogelii and Vernonia amygdalina) were evaluated in on-station and on-farm trials over two years (2015 and 2016) in two different countries (Tanzania and Malawi) on common bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris). All plant species offered effective control of key pest species that was comparable in terms of harvested bean yield to a synthetic pyrethroid. Furthermore, the plant pesticide treatments had significantly lower negative effects on natural enemies (hover flies, lacewings, ladybird beetles and spiders). Thus, pesticidal plants were better able to support ecosystem services whilst effectively managing pests. Small holder farmer rankings on the perceived efficacy of the different plant species indicated that T. vogelii was the most preferred and effective, achieving bean yields as good as the synthetic, if not better. As T. vogelii is fast growing with a well-known and understood phytochemistry, it is an excellent candidate for commercial development to supplement pyrethrum production by African small holder farmers.

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“…This includes: the use of the freshly ground leaves, mixed and soaked overnight [19] [49]. Also, boiling plant parts and adding soap for extraction [14] has been practiced. [19] used fresh leaves pounded and mixed with water and 0.1% soap to make 3% w/v of the extract.…”

Section: Indigenous Knowledge On the Use Of Pesticidal Plants For Fiementioning

confidence: 99%

The Potential of Using Indigenous Pesticidal Plants for Insect Pest Control to Small Scale Farmers in Africa

Mkindi¹,

Mtei²,

Njau³

et al. 2015

AJPS

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Pesticidal plants are scientifically proven for their effectiveness in controlling insect pests. Their activity is enhanced by active compounds contained, which are known for their repellant and antifeedant potentials to the insects. Use of pesticidal plants by local small scale farmers has been a point of concern following information that majority of farmers do not widely use pesticidal plants despite of an indigenous knowledge that they possess. Improvement of the technologies used by local farmers in previous times, that are easy and effective need to help farmers abstain from the use of synthetic pesticides that are detrimental to the environment and to their own health. This paper reviews the potentiality of pesticidal plants to small holder farmers. It also gives the status of pesticidal plants use, their possible effectiveness against insect pests, persistence as well as the knowledge that indigenous people possess in their use. Again, the paper suggests the need for more instrumental research on practical improvement of indigenous knowledge on the use of pesticidal plants with scientific evidences.

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Ethnobotanicals in Ghana: reviving and modernising age-old farmer practice

Cited by 42 publications

References 3 publications

Efficacy of homemade botanical insecticides based on traditional knowledge. A review

Efficacy of homemade botanical insecticides based on traditional knowledge. A review

Invasive weeds with pesticidal properties as potential new crops

The Potential of Using Indigenous Pesticidal Plants for Insect Pest Control to Small Scale Farmers in Africa

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