Plant Extract Controls Potato Pests

An organic pesticide developed from plant extracts has been observed to have both fungicidal and insecticidal effects on white potato in a recent research in Malaybalay City in Bukidnon.

The researchers included Carmelito R. Lipoot, Adrian A. Pahayac and Juanita Salvani of the Department of Agriculture-Northern Mindanao Integrated Agricultural Research Center (DA-NOMIARC).

organic fungicide and pesticide antica

The organic pesticide, Antica, is a liquid that was formulated by Gigi Zaballero, a chemical engineer based in Cebu City and founder of Ahcil Laboratories.

The researchers wanted to find out the effects of Antica on white potato diseases like bacterial wilt and blight. They also wanted to see Antica’s effects on pests attacking white potato in Bukidnon such as cutworms, aphids and whiteflies. They compared different doses of the organic pesticide with pesticides used by farmers as well as the recommendation of NOMIARC.

In the case of farmers’ practice, they used chemical fungicides and insecticides in protecting their plants from insects and diseases. In the NOMIARC system, 50 tons of chopped wild sunflower was incorporated in the soil two weeks before planting.

On the other hand, different doses of Antica were compared with the farmers’ practice and that of NOMIARC system. It was found that 30 days after planting, the plants that were sprayed with Antica at 80 ml per 16 liters of water gave zero incidence of cutworms, aphids and whiteflies. That’s significantly better than the infestation of plants that were not sprayed with any pesticide (control). At 30 days after planting, the control plants had 9 percent incidence of cutworm, 27 percent of whitelies and zero percent aphids.

In the case of the diseases bacterial wilt and leaf blight, Antica also proved to be promising. At 30 days after planting, the control plants (not sprayed with any pesticide) had 9.2 percent incidence of blight and 1.7 percent incidence of bacterial wilt. Those sprayed with Antica at the recommended rate of 80 ml per 16 liters of water had zero percent incidence of the two diseases.

The researchers conclude that the results of their study gave promising results in terms of reducing the occurrence and infestation of cutworms and whiteflies. Similarly, they said, Antica provides a promising outlook for bacterial wilt and leaf blight management in potato

(source: Manila Bulletin)

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