Insect Antifeedants and Repellents from African Plants

Abstract

There is little doubt that the tropical flora which are constantly exposed to attack by various parasites such as viruses, bacteria, protozoans, fungi, and insects are confronted with much harsher conditions for survival than their temperate counterparts. This necessarily leads to efficient built-in defense mechanisms and it is presumably for this reason that tropical flora offer a rich and intriguing source for isolating natural products possessing attractive pesticidal or medicinal properties. The results outlined in the following stem from the studies initiated in 1974 and more systematically in mid-1975 at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, Kenya. The genesis of this unique center goes back to 1968 when Carl Djerassi (1) proposed a plan for establishing an international institute in a developing country and Thomas R. Odhiambo, Professor of Entomology at the University of Nairobi, responded enthusiastically to initiate an insect oriented institute in Nairobi. ICIPE