botanical-pesticides
Botanical pesticides are pest-control compounds derived directly from plant tissues, such as leaves, seeds, roots, or bark, that contain naturally occurring defensive chemicals like alkaloids, terpenoids, and phenolics. These compounds matter for plant science because they reveal how plants biosynthesize secondary metabolites to defend against herbivores and pathogens, offering insight into plant chemical ecology and evolutionary adaptation. Studying these natural defenses also supports the development of sustainable, plant-based alternatives to synthetic agrochemicals in crop protection.
open_in_new WikipediaOpenAlex · 2026-07-04
Researchers tested a methanol-based botanical extract against two common agricultural pests: Bemisia tabaci (silverleaf whitefly) and Pomacea canaliculata (golden apple snail). The study measured how effectively the plant-derived extract killed both pests, offering a potential natural alternative to synthetic pesticides.
A methanol botanical extract was tested for lethal activity against Bemisia tabaci (silverleaf whitefly), a major vegetable crop pest.
The extract was also evaluated against Pomacea canaliculata (golden apple snail), an invasive aquatic pest that damages rice and aquatic plants.
The study assessed mortality rates, providing quantitative data on the extract's pesticidal efficacy across two taxonomically distinct pest species.