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Review |
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Prospects of
botanical pesticides from neem, Azadirachta indica
for routine protection of cocoa farms against the brown
cocoa mirid – Sahlbergella singularis in Nigeria
E. U. Asogwa1*, T. C. N.
Ndubuaku1, J. A. Ugwu2 and O. O. Awe3
1Entomology
Section, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan,
Nigeria.
2Department
of Basic Sciences and General Studies, Federal College of
Forestry, Idishin, Ibadan, Nigeria.
3Biology
Department, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, Ondo State,
Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
ucheasogwa1@yahoo.com.
Accepted 11 August, 2009 |
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Abstract |
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The brown
cocoa mirids, Sahlbergella singularis (Haglund) is the most
damaging insect pest of cocoa in Nigeria. The principal means of mirid
control has been, for many years, the application of synthetic
insecticides on the basis of calendar spray schedule. The use of
synthetic pesticides on small-scale farms in the tropics is generally
not advocated because the approach lacks sustainability and raises
environmental and health concerns. Most cocoa farmers simply cannot
afford the cost of pesticides, despite favourable economic returns.
There is therefore the need to screen for safe and effective
biodegradable pesticides with non-toxic effects on non-target organisms.
In the last two decades, considerable efforts have been directed towards
screening of plants, (especially neem), in order to develop new
botanical insecticides from the vast store of chemical substances in
them as alternatives to the existing synthetics, which are associated
with phytotoxicity, vertebrate toxicity, pest resistance and resurgence,
wide spread environmental hazards and high costs. This review therefore
looks at the prospects and utilization of botanicals for the control of
major cocoa insect pests in Nigeria taking into cognizance their
formulation, dosage and mode of application.
Key
words:
Formulation, application, dosage, sustainability, biodegradable,
toxicity, hazards. |
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