Pest Management Practices Research Articles

Gendered barriers and opportunities for scaling integrated pest management practices along the mango value chain in Kenya

Abstract Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is an important source of food and income in Kenya, but production is hampered by the proliferation of invasive fruit flies (Bactrocera dorsalis). The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) and its partners have over the past 2 decades developed and disseminated an integrated pest management (IPM) package of interventions that effectively reduce fruit fly populations, but adoption is relatively low. In response to this low adoption, the authors conducted desk- and field-based qualitative and quantitative studies to better understand the gendered barriers and opportunities for scaling IPM practices along the mango value chain in Kenya. Twenty-four gender-disaggregated focus groups, 118 farmer surveys, and 63 key informant interviews with value chain actors were conducted. The results show that lack of access to IPM inputs, market constraints, and access to training are among the key barriers to and motivations for adopting IPM strategies in Embu County, Kenya.

Behind the scenes: integrated pest management in a public garden

Abstract Integrated pest management in a public garden poses unique challenges and opportunities. Longwood Gardens has 300 acres intensively managed by an integrated pest management team. Within that acreage, collections are managed for their aesthetic display quality, research, and conservation, as well as enjoyment by guests who come to the Gardens for classes, performances, and events or to enjoy a day of beauty and wonder. Each garden space has multiple uses, vast plant palettes, and historical legacies. The integrated pest management team must balance aesthetics, science, and human needs while looking to the future to prepare for potential new pest invaders. Every day is an adventure and lesson in prioritizing, patience, and tolerance. The integrated pest management practitioners are dedicated to finding the right integrated pest management tool, knowing when to use it and when to do nothing, and researching and learning new techniques and approaches to ensure the Garden continues to thrive.

Disease Occurrence, Incidence and Severity in Vegetable Gardens of Green-the-Home Project Beneficiaries in Baybay City and Hilongos, Leyte, Philippines

This survey aimed to identify the major diseases affecting the Green-the-Home (GTH) vegetable gardens project beneficiaries in Barangays Guadalupe and Marcos in Baybay City, Leyte, and Barangay Liberty, Hilongos, Leyte, Philippines. The study documented the occurrence, incidence, and severity of various vegetable diseases, including the existing pest management practices of vegetable growers. Disease incidence and severity observed in vegetable gardens varied depending on the type of disease, crop, and site. The surveyed crops included okra, upo, ampalaya, tomato, string beans, sweet pepper, chili, eggplant, and cucumber, which are common in the sampling areas. The most common diseases found within the three project sites were okra leaf mold, Cercospora leaf spot of ampalaya, Cercospora leaf spot of sweet pepper, and Cercospora leaf spot of chili. The majority of vegetable growers employed physical and cultural pest management approaches, such as weeds removal (66.6%), the use of nets (63.3%), intercropping (60%), tillage (50%) and bagging (46.6%). Disease occurrence in the areas was influenced by environmental factors such as rainfall, temperature, humidity, and poor management practices of vegetable gardens. Since Baybay and Hilongos have the same climatic pattern, such environmental factors are consistent in both areas. It is recommended that the Government and other lead agencies, such as the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), assist GTH in promoting pests and diseases literacy programs among vegetable growers. They should also provide adequate access to extension services and disseminate appropriate, safe, and long-term pest management strategies to vegetable growers.

How can population models contribute to contemporary pest management practices?

AbstractPopulation models provide a logical knowledge base before conducting laborious and expensive field experiments. Historically, two types of population models have been developed: highly realistic simulations and simple analytical models. Highly realistic simulations comprise a complicated systems model, whereas simple analytical models comprise various analytical models that focus only on the fundamental structure of the target pest population. Although both approaches have contributed to pest management science, each has limitations, poor predictability, and lacks substantial connections to reality. Assimilation by state-space modeling, in which observation and process models are jointly incorporated, is a good compromise between a simple model and reality in nature. In the big data era, artificial intelligence (AI), specifically aimed at high predictability, has recently become popular. If vital physical and biological records are automatically censored in the field with high precision, AI will produce the most plausible predictions, providing the best practical solution given our current knowledge. AI can be a powerful tool in the contemporary world; however, deductive modeling approaches are still important when considering the behavior of AIs and may also provide important insights to detect deficient information in the data.

Importance of Sanitation for Stored-Product Pest Management.

Sanitation is essential for the cost-effective pest management of stored-product insects. The Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938 led to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tightening regulatory standards, and many local surveys, courses and conferences were organized to prepare the industry for these new regulations. Sanitation removes insects and residual food, which may also provide shelter for insects, with heat treatments and insecticide applications. The number of insects removed by cleaning may be reduced as the number of available hiding places increases. Decreased sanitation negatively affects the efficacy of most other pest management practices, with means of 1.3- to 17-fold decreases in efficacy. The majority of studies quantifying the efficacy of sanitation have been performed on the farm storage of grain, but some studies have been conducted for grain elevators, food processing, and the marketing system. Results ranged from no effect of sanitation alone to very effective alone or with other methods. Sanitation can also reduce insect infestation prior to harvest. Some cost-benefit analyses have been conducted for sanitation.

Bat diversity boosts ecosystem services: Evidence from pine processionary moth predation

Coniferous forests contribute to the European economy; however, they have experienced a decline since the late 1990s due to an invasive pest known as the pine processionary moth, Thaumetopoea pityocampa. The impacts of this pest are increasingly exacerbated by climate change. Traditional control strategies involving pesticides have had negative effects on public health and the environment. Instead, forest managers seek a more ecological and sustainable approach to management that promotes the natural actions of pest control agents. This study aims to evaluate the role of bats in suppressing pine processionary moths in pine forests and examine how the bat community composition and abundance influence pest consumption. Bats were sampled in the mountainous environment of the Serra da Estrela in central Portugal to collect faecal samples for DNA meta-barcoding analysis. We assessed the relationship between a) bat richness, b) bat relative abundance, c) bat diet richness, and the frequency of pine processionary moth consumption. Our findings indicate that sites with the highest bat species richness and abundance exhibit the highest levels of pine processionary moth consumption. The intensity of pine processionary moth consumption is independent of insect diversity within the site. The highest occurrence of pine processionary moth presence in bat diets is primarily observed in species that forage in cluttered habitats. A typical predator of pine processionary moths among bats is likely to be a forest-dwelling species that specialises in consuming Lepidoptera. These species primarily use short-range echolocation calls, which are relatively inaudible to tympanate moths, suitable for locating prey in cluttered environments, employing a gleaning hunting strategy. Examples include species from the genera Plecotus, Myotis, and Rhinolophus. This study enhances our understanding of the potential pest consumption services provided by bats in pine forests. The insights gained from this research can inform integrated pest management practices in forestry.

Classification of Diseases in Oil Palm Leaves Using the GoogLeNet Model

The general health of palm trees, encompassing the roots, stems, and leaves, significantly impacts palm oil production, therefore, meticulous attention is needed to achieve optimal yield. One of the challenges encountered in sustaining productive crops is the prevalence of pests and diseases afflicting oil palm plants. These diseases can detrimentally influence growth and development, leading to decreased productivity. Oil palm productivity is closely related to the conditions of its leaves, which play a vital role in photosynthesis. This research employed a comprehensive dataset of 1,230 images, consisting of 410 showing leaves, another 410 depicting bagworm infestations, and an additional 410 displaying caterpillar infestations. Furthermore, the major objective was to formulate a deep learning model for the identification of diseases and pests affecting oil palm leaves, using image analysis techniques to facilitate pest management practices. To address the core problem under investigation, the GoogLeNet deep learning approach was applied, alongside various hyperparameters. The classification experiments were executed across 16 trials, each capped at a computational timeframe of 10 minutes, and the predominant duration spanned from 2 to 7 minutes. The results, particularly derived from the superior performance in Model 4 (M4), showed evaluation accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score rates of 93.22%, 93.33%, 93.95%, and 93.15%, respectively. These were highly satisfactory, warranting their application in oil palm companies to enhance the management of pest and disease attacks.

Farmers’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding the Use of Agroecological-Based Pest Management Practices in Crucifers and Traditional African Vegetable (TAV) Production in Kenya and Tanzania

Crucifers and traditional African vegetables (TAVs) are important to smallholders in Kenya and Tanzania, but yield remains below potential due to pests and diseases. Agroecological production methods present a nature-based solution to pest and disease management in crucifer and TAV production. We explore the status of farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding agroecological-based production pest management practices. Structured and pretested questionnaires were used to collect data from 1071 vegetable farming households in Kenya and Tanzania. Using descriptive statistics, parametric, and non-parametric analysis, our study revealed that less than 20% of farmers had received training on agroecological-based practices and less than 25% were aware of most of these practices. Among those who were aware of the practices and could confirm their effectiveness less than 12% had adopted them, except for crop rotation and handpicking of pests. This study attributes the low adoption to farmers’ negative attitudes towards the practices. Nonetheless, the study further revealed that training significantly and positively influences the adoption of the practices. Therefore, we recommend that governments and other stakeholders promote targeted awareness campaigns and increase access to training on vegetable production using sustainable pest and disease management practices.

The effects of pesticides on tomato pollinators depend on application practices and floral visitor assemblage

AbstractPesticide use affects biodiversity and ecosystem service provision. Yet, such effects may vary between pesticides, dosage, application timing and pollinator assemblage in the study area. Understanding such diversity of effects is essential to enable integrated pest management practices that minimize negative impacts on pollinators. Here, we use a controlled experiment to compare different strategies of pesticide application in tomato crops: no application, low‐intensity applications (every 7 days) and high‐intensity application (every 3–4 days) with the last being the usual practice used by farmers in the study region. We focus on imidacloprid that is a neonicotinoid insecticide commonly used in Brazil. We show the negative effects of imidacloprid on the pollinator visitation rate of tomato flowers varied between flower visitor species. While the bee Paratrigona lineata was negatively affected by the imidacloprid application, no effects were detected when analysing all other bees as a group, indicating a null net effect. Although some studies have shown this insecticide is extremely harmful to bees' health, others showed that some bees do not avoid it, which may explain our results. However, the visitation rate recovery for P. lineata was only detected in the less than the more intensive treatment after imidacloprid applications ceased. The fact that no differences in fruit production were detected between treatments (including control blocks) could result from a null net effect of the negative effects on pollinators and positive effects on pest control. Further studies would be needed to disentangle the two effects.

Farmer’s Attitudes on pesticide-use and pest-management practices: A case study of vegetable-cultivators in the vicinity of Lucknow, India

For effective pest management, farmer’s awareness of pesticide toxicity and its safe application is crucial. The use of pesticides in vegetables and fruits is increasing day by day. To assess the awareness of the vegetable and cereal growers in Uttar Pradesh, India on the safety and toxicity management of chemical pesticides, a household survey was carried out using a well-structured questionnaire. According to our survey and observation, more than 99% of farmers preferred chemical pesticides to other alternative approaches for controlling pests. Notably, 80% of farmers were unaware of the harmful consequences that chemical pesticides have on human health and the environment. Nearly 40% of farmers had at least some brief training in integrated pest management (i.e., Communicated through the Kisan Mela and agricultural experts), however, none of them were conscious of the negative effects of pesticide residue or appropriate disposal strategies. For technical information on the selection, handling, and use of pesticides, more than 90% of growers seem to be dependent on local pesticide retailers, radio, and television. The report emphasized the necessity of establishing strict pesticide use rules and awareness campaigns on pesticide selection, its disposal methods, and its toxicity to humans, animals, and overall agrobiodiversity.

Use of Insect Exclusion Row Cover and Reflective Silver Plastic Mulching to Manage Whitefly in Zucchini Production.

The challenges that sweet potato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) creates for vegetable production have increased in the southeastern U.S. Growers must use intensive insecticide spray programs to suppress extremely high populations during the fall growing season. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the use of a reflective plastic mulch and an insect row cover as alternative methods to the current grower practices to manage whiteflies in zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) production. Field experiments were conducted with a two-level factorial experimental design of cover and plastic mulch treatments arranged in a randomized complete block design, with four replications in Georgia in 2020 and 2021, and in Alabama in 2021. Cover treatments consisted of an insect row cover installed on zucchini beds at transplanting and removed at flowering and a no-cover treatment, while plastic mulch treatments consisted of reflective silver plastic mulching and white plastic mulching. During all growing seasons, weather conditions were monitored, whitefly populations were sampled weekly, zucchini biomass accumulation was measured at five stages of crop development, and fruit yield was determined at harvesting. Warm and dry weather conditions early in the growing season resulted in increased whitefly populations, regardless of location and year. In general, the reflective silver plastic mulching reduced whitefly populations compared to the conventional white plastic by 87% in Georgia in 2020, 33% in Georgia in 2021, and 30% in Alabama in 2021. The insect row cover treatment reduced whitefly populations to zero until its removal. Consequently, zucchini plants grown with the insect row cover and reflective silver plastic mulching had an increased rate of biomass accumulation due to the lower insect pressure in all locations. Zucchini grown using silver reflective plastic mulch and row covers had an overall increase of 17% and 14% in total yield compared to white plastic mulch and no-cover treatments, respectively. Significant differences in yield among locations were likely due to severe whitefly pressure early in the fall season, and total yields in Georgia in 2020 (11,451 kg ha-1) were 25% lower than in Georgia in 2021 (15,177 kg ha-1) and in Alabama in 2021 (15,248 kg ha-1). In conclusion, silver plastic mulching and row covers reduced the whitefly population and increased biomass accumulation and total yield. These treatments can be considered ready-to-use integrated pest management practices for growers.

A Review on the Impact of Pesticide Toxicity on the Physiological and Behavioral Condition of Fish

Pesticides are an essential component of contemporary agriculture because they help keep unwanted insects and animals under control and boost crop yields. However, the widespread usage of pesticides has led to worries over the unexpected consequences that these chemicals have on non-target animals and ecosystems, particularly those that are aquatic. Fish, which play an essential role in aquatic food webs, are particularly vulnerable to the damaging effects of pesticides as a result of their direct contact with contaminated water bodies. The review covers acute and chronic pesticide effects on fish, including physiological and behavioral responses. It discusses population-level effects and biodiversity loss on fish reproduction, growth, development, immunological function, and locomotor activity. It also highlights pesticide toxicity’s long-term effects on fish populations. Pesticide exposure may also alter foraging behavior, competitive aptitude, and predation vulnerability, according to the review. Pesticides harm fish health by accumulating toxins, causing genetic defects, and upsetting the aquatic ecology. These effects put biodiversity in jeopardy and upset the food chain’s delicate balance, raising major environmental issues. It emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary research to better understand fish pesticide toxicity and guide environmental regulatory measures. Implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices to ensure sustainable pesticide use in the environment. Use of non-chemical strategies such as crop rotation, natural predators, and resistant varieties. limit pesticide application to specific pests, thereby minimizing ecological damage and preserving ecosystem equilibrium. We can improve agriculture-aquatic biodiversity coexistence by supporting holistic pesticide management.

Synergistic effects of Aphidius colemani (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) and Coccinella undecimpunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) releases for the biological control of Diuraphis noxia in wheat fields

ABSTRACT The Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia, is a significant pest for grain crops worldwide. Bioagents such as the parasitoid, Aphidius colemani and the predator, Coccinella undecimpunctata have been shown to be effective against many aphid species. This study aimed to investigate the combined effect of releasing these two bioagents on controlling D. noxia without using pesticides. To achieve this, three systems of release were evaluated in the field: (1) the parasitoid A. colemani at rate of 4 mummies/m2, (2) the predator C. undecimpunctata at rate of 10 individuals (3rd larval instar)/m2, and (3) A. colemani (4 mummies/m2) + C. undecimpunctata (10 individuals/m2) and control. After four releases, the combination of A. colemani and C. undecimpunctata resulted in the highest percentage of reduction in aphid population, with a reduction of 95.58, 95.53% in 2020 and 2021, followed by 86.94, 83.92% in A. colemani plots and the lowest reduction percentage in C. undecimpunctata plots, with 65.1, 68.92%, in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Based on these results, it is recommended to use the combination of the two bioagents, A. colemani and C. undecimpunctata for controlling D. noxia in a wheat field. Therefore, the use of a combination of natural enemies, carefully timed and repeated releases, and consideration of intraguild predation dynamics can help to achieve effective biological control of aphids in wheat crops. The use of natural enemies such as A. colemani and C. undecimpunctata can reduce the application of pesticides and promote sustainable pest management practices.

The importance of shrubland and local agroecological practices for pumpkin production in sub-Saharan smallholdings

Land-use and local field management affect pollinators, pest damage and ultimately crop yields. Agroecology is implemented as a sustainable alternative to conventional agricultural practices, but little is known about its potential for pollination and pest management. Sub-Saharan Africa is underrepresented in studies investigating the relative importance of pests and pollinators for crop productivity and how this might be influenced by surrounding landscapes or agroecological practices. In Malawi, we selected 24 smallholder farms differing in landscape-scale shrubland cover, implementation of manual pest removal as an indicator of an agroecological pest management practice, and the number of agroecological soil practices employed at the household level, such as mulching, intercropping and soil conservation tillage. We established pumpkin plots and assessed the abundance and richness of flower visitors and damage of flowers (florivory) caused by pest herbivores on flowers. Using a full-factorial hand pollination and exclusion experiment on each plot, we investigated the relative contribution of pollination and florivory to pumpkin yield. Increasing shrubland cover decreased honeybee abundance but increased the abundance and richness of non-honeybee visitors. Manual removal of herbivores considered to be pests reduced flower visitors, whereas more agroecological soil management practices increased flower visitors. Neither shrubland cover nor agroecological management affected florivory. Pollinator limitation, but not florivory, constrained pumpkin fruit set, and increasing visitor richness decreased the relative differences between hand- and animal-pollinated flowers. We recommend improved protection of shrubland habitats and increasing agroecological soil practices to promote pollinator richness on smallholder farms.

Integration of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum-Targeted Biofungicides Coniothyrium minitans and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens into Season-Long Soybean Pest Management Practices in Indiana

Two biofungicides, Coniothyrium minitans and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, are commercially available and have been shown to limit or suppress Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in soybean. S. sclerotiorum is a soilborne pathogen of soybean that can cause significant yield losses under cool and wet environmental conditions. Integrated soybean pest management practices can include the application of herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides at various times during the growing season to minimize yield losses. However, limited information is available regarding how these biofungicides can be successfully incorporated into a soybean-integrated pest management program. To assess the sensitivity of C. minitans and B. amyloliquefaciens biological activity on S. sclerotiorum to pesticides commonly used in soybean-production systems, a poison plate assay and soil plate and growth chamber experiments were conducted. In the poison plate assay, C. minitans was most sensitive to the preemergence herbicide flumioxazin and the synthetic fungicides boscalid and fluazinam, whereas B. amyloliquefaciens was sensitive only to the synthetic fungicide fluazinam. In the soil plate assay, the mycoparasitic activity of C. minitans on S. sclerotiorum was sensitive to flumioxazin, metribuzin, glyphosate, picoxystrobin, and boscalid. In the controlled environment experiments, none of the pesticides tested decreased the efficacy of B. amyloliquefaciens. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .

Impact of Integrated Management Practices of Fruit Fly in Bitter gourd

Bitter gourd is cultivated in 125 hectares out of 310 ha occupied by gourds in. Tiruvallur district in Tamil Nadu, India. Fruit fly is the most destructive insect pests attacking bittergourd.The present study was conducted to demonstrate the Integrated Pest Management practices in bitter gourd against major insect pests in 10 farmers’ fields located in four blocks viz., Tiruvalangadu, R.K.Pet, Thiruthani, Ekadu of Tiruvallur district during 2020-2021. Technological gap between recommended practices and actual farmers’ practice was assessed.The front-line demonstration included IPM practices (field sanitation, Installation of fruit fly traps and spraying of neem oil 3%) and Non –IPM practices. Results indicated average fruit yield of 92.50 q/ha, an increase of 10.77% increase in yield over farmers practice as well as a net income of Rs.1,06,450/-. Reduction in cost of cultivation due to less investment for plant protection aspects has been recorded.

Optimizing ethyl formate fumigation in greenhouse cucurbit crops for efficient control of major agricultural pests, Myzus persicae and Thrips palmi

BackgroundEthyl formate (EF) is naturally occurring volatile compound used as quarantine fumigant for pest control. Recently, conversion of uses of EF was tried from quarantine to agricultural field due to its promising efficacy. However, there is a lack of studies on the residue pattern on crops and soil and the phytotoxic mechanism of EF in greenhouse environment. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy, residue analysis, and phytotoxicity of EF fumigation in controlling Myzus persicae and Thrips palmi, on cucurbit crops and establish an optimized fumigation strategy for use in greenhouses.ResultsThe results showed that EF was more effective against M. persicae than against T. palmi. Residue analysis indicated that EF rapidly decomposed and was not retained after 30 min in leaves and 2 h in soil after fumigation, suggesting the potential for residue-free pest control. Phytotoxicity test revealed that watermelon was the most sensitive crop to EF, and H2O2 accumulation was observed above a concentration of 7.5 g/m3. A strategy to reduce phytotoxicity with sodium bicarbonate during fumigation showed promising results in reducing phytotoxic effects on the crops. The optimized EF fumigation with 6 g/m3 was applied in a greenhouse, resulting in 100% and 40% mortality of M. persicae and T. palmi, respectively, with no notable phytotoxicity and EF residue in the treated crops and soil.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that optimized EF fumigation can be an environmentally sustainable method for controlling pests in greenhouses, paving the way for improved pest management practices and sustainable agriculture. Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore the potential of EF fumigation for other crops and pests.Graphical

Population Dynamics of the Olive Fly, Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae), Are Influenced by Different Climates, Seasons, and Pest Management

Pest management practices interact with many species and have an impact on the ecology and the economy of the area. In this paper, we examine the population dynamics of the olive fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), Diptera: Tephritidae, on Samos Island, Greece, observing the spatial and temporal changes of the pest along an altitude associated with area-wide pest management. More specifically, we analyze data from an extended McPhail trap network and focus on experimental sites, where we monitor the pest population in relation to sprays, temperature, and relative humidity inside the tree canopy during the season for a three-year period. Our findings indicate that fly populations are influenced mostly by climate and altitude over longer periods in the season and from bait sprays for shorter periods of time, which appeared to be less effective in autumn, probably due to population movements and overlapping generations. Apart from the factors that were taken into account, such as the weather conditions and pest management regimes that were proven important, more factors will have to be considered for infestation level, such as fruit availability, inhibition factors (natural enemies, symbiotic agents, food supplies), and cultivation practices. Site microclimate conditions and the landscape can be used to explain changes at the plot level.

Eco-friendly approaches of zinc oxide and silver nitrate nanoparticles along with plant extracts against Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) under laboratory conditions.

The tobacco cutworm (Spodoptera litura) is a widespread pest that inflicts severe damage on various crops, including cotton, tobacco, and vegetables, with a particular preference for solanaceous plants. Traditional control methods often rely heavily on synthetic insecticides, leading to adverse effects on the environment, human health, and the development of insecticide resistance. In light of these challenges, this study explores the potential of nanotechnology as an innovative and sustainable approach to combat this notorious pest. Bioassays were conducted using laboratory-reared 3rd instar S. litura larvae. Eight different plant extracts coated with zinc oxide and silver nitrate nanoparticles were tested, with concentrations in both distilled water and ethanol at 3, 5, and 7 ml. Data were collected at 24, 48, and 72-h intervals. The results revealed that the highest larval mortality, reaching 98%, was observed in the group treated with silver nitrate nanoparticles derived from Cymbopogon citratus. In comparison, the group treated with zinc oxide nanoparticles dissolved in ethanol exhibited a larval mortality rate of 90%. Ethanol is a polar solvent that is widely used in the synthesis of nanocomposites. It is capable of forming strong hydrogen bonds with oxygen atoms, making it a good dispersant for zinc oxide nanoparticles. Additionally, ethanol has a low boiling point and a non-toxic nature, which makes it a safe and effective option for the dispersion of nanoparticles. Notably, the study concluded that silver nanoparticles combined with ethanol exhibited prolonged and more potent toxic effects against S. litura when compared to zinc oxide nanoparticles. Overall, this research underscores the potential of nanotechnology as a valuable component of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies. By integrating nanotechnology into pest management practices, we can promote sustainable and environmentally friendly approaches that benefit both farmers and the ecosystem.

Non-chemical Tea Pest Management Practices Adopted by Small Tea Growers of Dibrugarh & Tinsukia District of Assam, India

The main objective of the present study was to meticulously document the non-chemical approaches to tea pest management employed by small tea growers in the Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of Assam. In response to the constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the research team resorted to telephonic interviews, utilizing a well-structured questionnaire to gather information from these tea growers. Through this method, the study successfully captured and documented the specific practices, materials, techniques, and methods utilized by these growers in their ongoing battle against tea pests. The study brought to light a diverse array of non-chemical methods that have been embraced by tea growers in this region. These practices, deeply rooted in traditional knowledge, demonstrated their remarkable effectiveness in pest management. What makes these findings particularly significant is the potential they hold for future scientific investigations. These traditional techniques, when subjected to rigorous validation and refinement, could find broader application in large-scale tea pest management initiatives, offering a more sustainable and eco-friendlier alternative to conventional chemical methods. A noteworthy aspect of these non-chemical practices is the sourcing of ingredients. These materials were found to be locally available and abundant, derived from both plant and animal origins. This accessibility not only ensures the practicality of these methods but also highlights their compatibility with the local ecosystem. Importantly, these traditional practices were identified as crucial tools in combating infestations by various pests, including the red spider mite (Oligonychus coffeae), tea mosquito bug (Helopeltis theivora), and looper caterpillar (Buzura suppresseria). In conclusion, this study focused on the valuable task of gathering insights into the non-chemical pest management methods practiced by small tea growers in the Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of Assam. Despite the adversities posed by the pandemic, the telephonic interviews proved to be a robust means of collecting invaluable information about these practices. The study not only underscored the efficacy of these traditional methods but also emphasized their potential for further scientific exploration and subsequent integration into broader tea pest management strategies. This presents a promising and environmentally friendly path forward for the tea industry in this region and beyond.