Some Plant Based Insecticides

Plants have several types of secondary metabolites belonging to several groups like terpenoids, limonoides, alkaloids, flovons, flavenoids, quinons etc. These secondary metabolites do not play any role in energy production or body building rather some other functions like to attract pollinators, repel harmful insects, disturbance in metabolism of feeding insects. So some plant parts or extracts can be used for insect pest management. Some of those plant are as follows:

 

Preparation	Salient Feature	Pest
Neem	Contains many active compounds that act as feeding deterrents and as growth regulators. The main active ingredient is azadirachtin, which is said to be effective on 200 types of insects, mites and nematodes. Dose: Neem oil (2-5%)	Leaf feeding caterpillars, aphids
	Neem oil (3-5%)	Brinjal aphid, fruit and shoot borer in okra, brinjal, Serpentine leaf miner
	Neem cake (250kg/ha)	Fruit and shoot borer in okra, brinjal
Nicotine	Derived from tobacco. The most common use is in greenhouses and to control soft bodied insects such as aphids and mites.	Aphids, Bugs, Leaf hoppers
Piperonyl Butoxide (PBO)    (synergist)	Derived from sesame. PBO inactivates enzymes on the bodies of insects (and mammals) that break down toxins.
Other Essential Plant Oils	Repellents and Insecticides -The most common essential oils are the oils of cedar, lavender, eucalyptus, pennyroyal and citronella.	Blood sucking, Sap suckers and beetl
Custard apple (Annona squamosa) leaf extract + cows urine	Application rate: 10%+10%	Leaf feeders
Clerodendron plant extract	Application rate: 4-8%	Tobacco caterpillar, epilachna beetle
Hyptis	Application rate: 10%	Aphids and soft bodied insects
Andrographis	Application rate: 10%	Jassids, leaf caterpillars
Eupatorium	Application rate: 15t/ha	nematodes
Vitex	Application rate: 5-10%	Fruit and shoot borer in okra Cucurbit leaf caterpillars
Lantana + cows urine	Application rate: 10%+10%	Soft bodied insect