Academe Research Journals

International Journal of Agricultural Science Research

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluating the biocidal efficacy of aqueous solution of three botanicals against insect pest species of garden eggs (Solanum aethiopicum) under open field conditions

Miriam Semefa Mantey¹, Thomas Buxton², Prosper Asamoah Mensah¹, Joshua Baffoe-Ansah¹, Vincent Tamakloe¹, Chul-Sa Kim³, and Ebenezer Oduro Owusu⁴

¹African Regional Postgraduate Program in Insect Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana

²Forest and Horticultural Crops Research Centre, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.

³Chemical Ecology Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture and Marine Science, Kochi University. Monobe Otsu 200. Nankoku City, Kochi, Japan

⁴Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana

*Corresponding author’s. E-mail: tbuxton@ug.edu.gh

Accepted 16 June, 2023

Abstract

The biocidal activities of extracts from the leaves of Annona muricata, the leaves of Chromolaena odorata and the nutshell liquid of Anacardium occidentale were evaluated against the insect pests of garden eggs in the field in this study. The study showed that the aqueous extract of all three botanicals had varying levels of insecticidal activities and hence has the potential of managing insect pests of garden eggs. The efficacy of the botanicals varied across all three growing seasons. Anacardium occidentale nutshell liquid recorded the least mean population of whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) in the field during the dry and minor rainy seasons. It also recorded the least mean population of leafhoppers (Empoasca spp.) during the major rainy season. Annona muricata leaves Chromolaena odorata leaves recorded the least mean population of leafhoppers (Empoasca spp.) during the dry and minor rainy seasons respectively. All botanicals used showed no significant difference in the yield and marketability of fruits across all seasons compared with the standard Emamectin benzoate that was used as a check.

Keywords: Biocidal activities, Annona muricata, Chromolaena odorata, Anacardium occidentale, Empoasca spp, Leucinodes spp, Bemisia tabaci, Garden eggs