Indigenous plant extracts as botanopesticides against greenhouse whiteflies

Abstract

Organic farming in the Cordilleras is fast becoming a trend in crop production mostly due to low prices of non-organically grown crops, increasing prices of farm inputs like fertilizers and pesticides and increase health awareness of buyers. However, due to its non-use of synthetic pesticides, pest control systems in organic farming have been much of a challenge to practitioners. The study aimed to verify and compare the effect of extracts coming from lantana and sunflower against greenhouse whiteflies. The importance of this study is to aid the development of organic farming in the area in terms of crop protection by looking into technologies that organic farmers may adopt and implement in their farms that will fit in their organic farming framework and guidelines. The study determined the efficacy of the sunflower and lantana as botanopesticide against greenhouse whiteflies. The following are the specific problems that the study aimed to answer: 1. What is the mortality rate of whiteflies exposed to each botanopesticide? Hypothesis The mortality rate of whiteflies exposed to each botanopesticide is high. 2. Is there a significant difference between the two indigenous plant extracts in reducing the population of greenhouse whiteflies? Hypothesis There is a significant difference between the two indigenous plant extracts in reducing the population of greenhouse whiteflies. 3. Is there a significant difference among the levels of concentration of indigenous plant extracts on the population of white flies? Hypothesis There is a significant difference among the levels of concentration of indigenous plant extracts on the population of whiteflies. The study made use of three-week old tomato host plants enclosed in lxlx2 mesh-cloth cages. The whiteflies, which were reared in a special rearing cage, were introduced into these mesh-cages at a ratio of 50 whiteflies per cage. They were then sprayed with the extracts of sunflower and lantana at these ratios: 1:.05, 1:1 and 1:1.5 plant matter-water ratio. The indigenous plants' extracts were obtained through grinding and filtering the plant matter mixed with varying amounts of water. The filtrate coming from the different treatments were applied on host plants with whiteflies for three times at a three-day interval. Analysis of variance was used to analyze the gathered data. The following are the major findings of the study: 1. The mortality rate of whiteflies exposed to lantana and sunflower treatments is high; 2. There is no significant difference between the lantana and sunflower plant extracts in reducing the population of greenhouse whiteflies; and 3. There is no significant difference among the levels of concentration of lantana and sunflower plant extracts on In the light of the findings of the study, the following are the conclusions: 1. Lantana and sunflower are effective botanical pesticides to control the population of greenhouse whiteflies as their effect is comparable with the conventional pesticide Decis R100. 2. Either lantana or sunflower can be used by farmers as an alternative in the control of whitefly population. 3. Lantana and sunflower can be used effectively against whiteflies even at 1:1.5 plant matter-water ratio. The following are the recommendations as based on the conclusions drawn from the study: 1. Further investigations should be conducted on the use of lantana and sunflower as botanical pesticides, especially on other insect pests. 2. Studies to further explore concentrations or dilutions of plant matter other than what was used in this experiment have to be implemented. 3. Studies should be conducted to determine other extraction methods that could fit into the farming systems of common farmers. 4. Further researches on the other forms of pesticides derived from these plants can also be conducted and improved, aside from its extracts. 5. Studies on different organic forms of sticker/ surfactant technology that would be compatible with lantana and sunflower extracts can be done.