Botanical Insecticides
Botanical Insecticides
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Abstract
1. Introduction
In global terms, yield losses due to arthropods, diseases, and weeds are estimated
to an approximately 35% of the total agricultural products. Yield losses in develop-
ing regions with limited pest management options may exceed up to 50% [1]. There
are many adverse interactions between insects and plants, like insects, pests, and
pathogens, leading to total or complete crop failure [2]. Crop protection has played
a crucial role in ensuring food security, preserving crop productivity, and rising
yields. More recently, the use of integrated pest management for pest control has
become more prevalent in developed countries, but the continued use of pesticides
to manage pest epidemics remains prominent [1, 3]. Increased use of synthetic
pesticides is observed in the developed and transitional countries [4]. Many farmers
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Botanical Insecticides and Their Potential as Anti-Insect/Pests: Are They Successful…
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.100418
and reliability was discovered. The findings indicate the potential and limitations as
alternatives to pesticides of selected botanical insecticides. The safety and well-being
of humans are briefly mentioned, as well as considerations of cost and practicality.
2. Botanical insecticides
Scientists must understand the mode of action to increase the quality and long-
term viability of a product used in pest management plans. To better understand
how pesticides function, it is critical to understand how the targeted system of
the pest is working. Understanding how humans and other systems operate also
helps us to control pests effectively. It also needs to learn the modes of action of the
pesticides, which will help to prevent resistance to the specific pesticide(s) [18].
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4. Essential oils
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the billions of dollars occur worldwide [1, 5]. Furthermore, essential oils are also
considered safer than synthetic pesticides by the FDA due to non-target neuro-
toxic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic effects, as well as insect multi- and
cross-resistance [43]. Their popularity in organic farmers and the environmentally
aware consumer has considerably increased as insecticides in essential oils derived
from aromatic plants. They have repellent, antifeedant, inhibitors to oviposition
and growth, ovicides, and growth-reducing effects in several insects [42–44].
Essential oils possess an exciting impact of larvicide on larvae, insecticide activity,
abusive ants, cockroaches, bedbugs, moths, fluid headlice, and toxic to termites
(Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae, gipsy moth). Mentha piperita oil repels anti-
Callosobruchus maculatus, flies, lice, moth, and Tribolium castrum. Trachysperm
sp. oil contains larvicidal effect against mosquito species Aedes aegypti and Culex
quinquefasciatus [45–47].
The chemistry of volatile elements in essential oils can be categorized into four
major groups: benzene derivatives, hydrocarbons, terpene, and other miscellaneous
compounds. Monoterpenoids constitute 90% of the essential oil, and they are the
most representative molecules that allow for a wide variety of different structures.
There are 10 hydrocarbons, or their related compounds, that is, cyclic alcohols (e.g.,
isopulegol, menthol, terpineol), acyclic alcohols (e.g., geraniol, linalool, citronel-
lol), bicyclic alcohols (e.g., verbenol, borneol), ketones (menthone, carvone, thu-
jone), phenols (e.g., carvacrol, thymol), acids (e.g., chrysanthemum acid), oxides
(cineole), and aldehydes (citronellal, citral). Terpenes are the major group, while
aromatic and aliphatic constituents are the other minor groups. Terpenes are mostly
monoterpenes (C10) as well as sesquiterpenes (C15), but hemiterpenes (C5),
diterpenes (C20), triterpenes (C30), and tetraterpenes are also available (C40).
Phenylpropane-derived aromatic compounds are less prevalent than terpenes, for
example, aldehyde: cinnamaldehyde; methylenedioxy compounds: apiole, myristi-
cin, safrole; phenols: chavicol, eugenol; alcohol: cinnamic alcohol; methoxy deriva-
tives: anethole, elemicin, estragole, methyl eugenols [48].
The oil composition varies widely, mainly depending on the way that was used
to isolate it. Essential oils have a different chemical composition, depending on the
type of molecules extracted and the number of molecules found within the mix.
Usually, steam distillation under high pressure is used to separate essential oils using
the clevenger device. Furthermore, the oil may be chemically altered during distilla-
tion due to saponification, isomerization, and other reactions due to distillation.
Essential oils are extracted via different methods: solvent extraction, first through
percolation, and then through a combination of double or single distillation or
supercritical carbon dioxide. The quality, quantity, and composition of the extract
obtained from the various plant materials vary with each climate and the design of
the soil, organ of plants, age, and vegetative cycle stage [44].
Most monoterpene has a cytotoxic effect on plant and animal cells, dis-
rupting respiration and permeability, depleting Golgi and mitochondria, and
decreasing respiration and production. Similarly, many serve as chemicals to
animals and insects as well, and they are volatile. Also, most monoterpenoids
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Global Decline of Insects
act as some short-signal molecules, thus making them suitable as synonyms and
alarm pheromones. Care must be taken with the number of essential oils used
to destroy insects and their modes of action because of possible health hazards
to humans and other vertebrates. There is still a lack of understanding about
the monophenoid target sites and mode of action, and only a few studies have
investigated this [1, 18, 44, 48].
4.3.1 As insecticide
Although insects are not known well for the physiological effects of essential oils,
treating them with essential oils or their constituents causes symptoms that provide
us information about the mode of action as a neurotoxin. Linalool, a monoterpenoid,
has influenced ion transport and acetylcholine esterase release in insects [18].
Octopamine is a neurotransmitter, neurohormone, and circulating neurohor-
mone—neuromodulator with many biological functions in insects [1]. Based on
pharmacological parameters, octopamine works by interacting with at least two
receptor groups, dubbed octopamine-1 and octopamine-2. As the octopamine
system is disrupted, the nervous system of insects is wholly destroyed. As a result,
the insect octopaminergic mechanism is a bio-rational priority for pest control
(Figure 1).
Since vertebrates do not have octopamine receptors, essential oils have a solid
mammalian selectivity as insecticides. The octopaminergic mechanism of insects is
influenced by various important oil compounds [48].
In the cloned cells of Drosophila melanogaster and Periplaneta americana, Enan
[46] found that eugenol, as octopamine, has increased intracellular levels of
calcium and is mediated by octopamine receptors. In addition, eugenol toxicity
is found to be increased in mutant D. melanogaster with no octopamine synthesis,
indicating that the octopaminergic system mediates the toxicity. The insecticidal
effects of eugenol are thought to be due to these cellular changes caused by the
compound [48]. In Helicoverpa armigera, abdominal epidermal tissue [49] came
to the same conclusion, suggesting that essential oil constituents can compete for
octopaminergic receptor activation.
Figure 1.
Essential oils’ toxic activity can be mediated by neurotransmitters at target sites in insects.
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4.3.2 As repellent
It is not clear if repellents function the same way in various arthropods likewise
other published material disscussed. Ticks, for example, can detect repellents pres-
ent on their tarsi of prolegs (Haller’s Organ), whereas insects can detect repellents
through their antennae. Furthermore, sensitivity to the same repellent varies only in
degree among different classes, orders, and families; no fundamental differences in
response type are observed [18, 48]. However, in mosquitoes, the degree of differen-
tial sensitivity remained constant over several generations, suggesting that resistance
is based on heritable traits. Temperature and moisture are sensitive to mosquito
antennae hairs. The repellent molecules attach to the olfactory receptors of female
mosquitos, preventing them from smelling. Cockroach repellent receptors are poorly
understood. Death and aversion to death (repellence) have been linked to oleic acid
and linoleic acid in cockroaches. A proposal has been made for the term necromone
to characterize the compound responsible for this form of behavior [18, 48].
4.3.3 As fumigant
The essential oils with bioactivity as insecticides or repellents are well known for
example, rosemary, thyme, clove, lemongrass, mint, oregano oils, and cinnamon.
The bioactivity of certain plants, including thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, and
mint, varies widely because the composition differences in chemical compositions
are reliable [48].
Understanding essential oils’ mode of action is critical for insect control because
it can lead to better formulations, distribution methods, and resistance management.
Many essential oils and their isolated chemicals from plants have fumigant properties.
Artemisia annua essential oil, Curcuma longa, Anethum Sowa, Lippia alba essential
oil, and separates such as d-limonene, carvones, and 1,8-cineole have all been used as
fumigants [45–47, 50]. These results suggest that the oils acted primarily in the vapor
process through the respiratory system, but the exact mode of action is unknown.
There are no natural fumigants that have been proven to work against pests that
attack crops, dry foods, and other agricultural products. Phosphine, methyl bromide,
and DDVP are the most used fumigants (2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate).
Phosphine is responsible for an enormous percentage of Indian suicides, as a precur-
sor for ozone depletion is a concern. In contrast, Dichlorvos is an organophosphate
widely used as an insecticide to control household pests, in public health, and
protecting stored products from insects (used as the precursor for ozone-depleting
treatments) poses a theoretical risk of cancer [48]. All attempts should be made to
develop an alternative that can take toxic fumigation while being user-friendly and
cost-effective. Many aromatic plants produce highly toxic or unpleasant chemicals
but serve as some valuable deterrents for various insects. These three attributes (high
molecular weight, high boiling point, and low vapor pressure of essential oils) allow
large-forgery fumigation to be performed by the high fumigation standards of safety
and efficiency, making them better suited for large-scale fumigation than most other
substances [18]. Despite essential oils having the potential for low-scale applications
and single or multiple component contaminants in food, there is a lack of scientific
data on food-grade applications and fusible essential oils [48].
The synergistic rationale for combining products assumes that the combined
product’s phase carries much weightage than the count of its known and unknown
chemical components that result in a complex effect of multiple modes of action.
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Global Decline of Insects
Among the essential oils and their components and other ingredients used in
formulating a product, both positive and negative types of synergism may occur.
This is important to keep in mind because essential oils will work together to create
a synergy that may negatively affect the base product. The salinity and pH of the
base product can affect the actions of the essential oils.
Low pH and a saline environment (5% NaCl) have been shown in several studies
to increase the activity of the entire product. Synergistic activity has been demon-
strated for essential oil combinations such as thyme, anise, and saffron [1, 18, 48, 51].
Mixed monoterpene mixtures had a synergistic impact on mortality [5, 52]. For use
against foliar-feeding pests, a monoterpene blend was produced containing 0.9%
active ingredient.
Monoterpenoids bind to the octopaminergic receptor, which is only found
in insects. A proprietary blend of essential oils called Hexa Hydrox (EcoPCO
EcoSMART Technologies, Franklin, Tennessee) with different plant essential oils
was developed to significantly increase the potency of these oils in pest control. This
proprietary technology, which combines oils with a normal molecular structure to
target octopaminergic sites, demonstrates rapid insecticidal action (a six-membered
carbon ring with an oxygenated functional group attached). The US Food and Drug
Administration has listed them as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) and has
licensed them for use in food and beverages [18, 48].
5. Safety
The toxicity of pesticides and the exposure of applicators or users influence the
risks associated with their use. Pesticides are tested during the registration process
in some cases. The assessments should include the acute toxicity for formulating
products to determine the effective preventive measures by the recommendations
issued by the FAO, UN, and the WHO. To assess the risk of health-associated to
short-term exposure, the acute toxicity and metabolites or degradations of the
active substances are assessed. Reproductive and developmental toxicity, carci-
nogenicity, and mutagenicity should be evaluated in determining risks related to
long-term exposure, sub-chronic, and chronic effects.
Furthermore, farmworker and pesticide applicator exposure and residue in crop
production should be assessed to determine whether the risks associated with pesticides
used are tolerable [5]. There have been no or only partial safety tests of homemade
botanical insecticides except for neem products. Homemade botanical insecticides
vary from industrial pesticides. The former contains an active ingredient cocktail with
unknown concentrations and a long list of variable concentrations of compounds
with novel properties. Furthermore, although plant material concentrations may be
poor, processing exposure has not been assessed and may be very high. As a result,
even though safety tests are available, it is difficult to extrapolate the risks found in
laboratory trials to real-world scenarios. Many countries’ plant protection laws prohibit
homemade preparations, even though this is often the case in agriculture. As a result,
some countries, at least for non-commercial farming, use such preparations [48].
In similarity with risks associated with human health, adverse pesticide uses
depend on their toxicity and exposure to non-target organisms—such as pests,
pollinators, birds, fish, and mammals. These risks should be evaluated to determine
if they are accepted as a part of the registration process [5, 53]. For the registration
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of pesticides, environmental fatality data usually are also required. The risk of
bioaccumulation with homemade botanical insecticides is generally less because
they contain natural materials known to degrade faster than many synthetic
compounds [48].
Despite the possibility that certain homemade botanical insecticides have lower
toxicity to non-target organisms than broad-spectrum insecticides, these find-
ings illustrate the importance of the further study. The application of botanical
products should consider their possible negative effects on non-target organisms
if it is appropriate and handled with care. Similarly, botanical products, including
pesticides, should not be used alone to combat pests. Botanical products can be
used in an integrated pest management system (IPM). It may be used with other
non-pesticidal tools such as plant diversification, habitat protection, and other
non-pesticidal tools.
7. Conclusions
Acknowledgements
The author is grateful to Research Scientist Dr. Chamila Darshanee (Sri Lanka)
for reviewing this chapter early. The authors would like to thank the Science and
Technology Development (STDF), Egypt entitled: “Eco-friendly Pesticides against
Pests of Medical, Veterinary, and Agricultural Importance” ID: 41608.
Conflict of interest
Notes/thanks/other declarations
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Global Decline of Insects
Author details
© 2021 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms
of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/
by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is properly cited.
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