Bazilio V. Kategaya Omara Lokodo
An evaluation of fresh extracts from three locally available pesticidal plants in Central Uganda was carried out against two important cabbage insect pests in the field in order to assess their potency for pesticidal application. This followed the farmers’ view that these plants could have pesticidal features as they had been observed to protect leafy crops against pests. Results suggest that Euphorbia tirucalli latex could reduce infestation of Brevicoryne brassicae below economic threshold levels. Extracts from Jatropha curcas and Phytolacca dodecandra likewise reduced B. brassicae levels but could not do so to required threshold levels. The same extracts were evaluated against diamondback moth Plutella xylostella but none was able to cause reduction of the moth larvae to economic threshold level. Only E. tirucalli latex caused reasonable management. It was concluded that E. tirucalli latex could be used as a management measure against B. brassicae and a contributory factor for management of P. xylostella infestations.
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