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Bean flower thrips (Megalurothrips usitatus) is a major French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) pest. Small‐scale farmers manage the pest using mixed plant extracts although their efficacy has not been scientifically validated. We evaluated the efficacy of mixed plant extracts comprising; Capsicum frutescens, Allium sativum, Lantana camara, Tagetes minuta and Azadirachta indica, against M. usitatus under laboratory and screenhouse. We identified and quantified the secondary metabolites associated with insecticidal activity using spectrophotometry and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). The plant combinations included PE1 (C. frutescens + A. sativum + L. camara + T. minuta extracts infused for 14 days), PE2 (same as PE1 but infused for 24 h) and PE + N (the five plant extracts infused for 24 h) in distilled water. We used an organic commercial botanical (Pyneem) as a positive control and distilled water as a negative control. Pyneem and PE + N induced the highest mortality at 88% and 77%, respectively, in the laboratory, and 68% and 71%, respectively, in the screenhouse. Phenolics, terpenoids and organosulfur compounds were identified in PE + N and individual plant extracts in varied quantities. These compounds were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in PE + N compared to individual plant extracts. The study showed that PE + N efficiently manages bean flower thrips, and mixing different plant extracts amplifies the secondary metabolites' abundance. The use of mixed plant extracts could be incorporated into integrated pest management strategies for thrips management in legumes. The specific compounds identified in PE + N should be investigated further to understand their modes of action against the pest.
Bean flower thrips (Megalurothrips usitatus) is a major French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) pest. Small‐scale farmers manage the pest using mixed plant extracts although their efficacy has not been scientifically validated. We evaluated the efficacy of mixed plant extracts comprising; Capsicum frutescens, Allium sativum, Lantana camara, Tagetes minuta and Azadirachta indica, against M. usitatus under laboratory and screenhouse. We identified and quantified the secondary metabolites associated with insecticidal activity using spectrophotometry and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). The plant combinations included PE1 (C. frutescens + A. sativum + L. camara + T. minuta extracts infused for 14 days), PE2 (same as PE1 but infused for 24 h) and PE + N (the five plant extracts infused for 24 h) in distilled water. We used an organic commercial botanical (Pyneem) as a positive control and distilled water as a negative control. Pyneem and PE + N induced the highest mortality at 88% and 77%, respectively, in the laboratory, and 68% and 71%, respectively, in the screenhouse. Phenolics, terpenoids and organosulfur compounds were identified in PE + N and individual plant extracts in varied quantities. These compounds were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in PE + N compared to individual plant extracts. The study showed that PE + N efficiently manages bean flower thrips, and mixing different plant extracts amplifies the secondary metabolites' abundance. The use of mixed plant extracts could be incorporated into integrated pest management strategies for thrips management in legumes. The specific compounds identified in PE + N should be investigated further to understand their modes of action against the pest.
Background Pests and diseases are a major contributor to yield losses in sub-Saharan Africa, prompting smallholder farmers to seek cost-effective, accessible and ecologically friendly alternatives for crop protection. This study explored the management of pests and diseases affecting crops across eight selected villages in Ehlanzeni District, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Methods A total of 120 smallholder farmers were purposefully selected utilising the snowball technique. Information on the management of plant pests and diseases was collected through interviews and focus group discussions using semi-structured interview schedules. Ethnobotanical indices, including relative frequency of citation (RFC), use-value (UV) and informant consensus factor (Fic), were used to quantify and rank the plants used for crop protection in the study area. Results Twenty-three plant species (16 naturalised exotics and seven indigenous plants) belonging to 16 families were used for managing pests (vertebrates and invertebrates) and diseases (fungal and bacterial related) affecting crops in the study area. The dominant (100%) crops cultivated by the participants were Allium cepa L., Mangifera indica L., Solanum lycopersicum L. and Zea mays L. The RFC value ranged from 0.08 to 0.83 and the three most popular plants for crop protection were Capsium annuum L. (0.83), A. cepa (0.63) and Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arn. (0.43). In terms of the UV, the five most promising plants used as biocontrol were Tulbaghia violacea (0.13), A. cepa (0.12), C. annuum L. (0.09), Solanum campylacanthum Hochst. Ex A.Rich.(0.09) and Pinus pinaster (0.08). Based on the Fic, four categories were established and dominated by fungal diseases (0.64). Furthermore, T. violacea and A. cepa were the most often mentioned plants used against fungal conditions. Other categories cited were bacterial diseases (0.3), invertebrate pests (0.11) and vertebrate pests (0.14), an indication that smallholder farmers had limited agreement or common knowledge about the plants used for their management. The preparation methods included maceration (38%), decoction (38%) and burning (24%). Foliar application (67%) and soil drenching (33%) were used for administering plant extracts during the management of crop pests and diseases. Conclusion The study highlights the importance of botanicals and associated indigenous knowledge among smallholder farmers in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. It is pertinent to explore the valorisation of these botanicals by generating empirical data on their biological efficacies and phytochemical profiles.
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