SCIENTISTS have successfully tested a
biological pesticide for the first time
on grasshoppers and locusts which
ravage crops across Africa. They have
developed sprays containing fungal
spores which are as effective as synthetic
pesticides and harmless for beneficial insects.
Researchers from Benin, Niger and Britain spent the past seven years testing sprays containing spores of Metarhizium flavoviride, a fungus that infects insects and is native to Africa. They have
now perfected a spray which can be effective in the harsh climatic conditions typical of sub-Saharan Africa.
When it was tested on crops in Niger
that were infested with the Oedaleus senegalensis grasshopper - the most harmful
insect pest in the region - its number
fell by 80 per cent within three
weeks. The spray was found
to be equally effective against
the dreaded desert locust
Schistocerca gregaria and two
other locust species. Though the
fungal spores take longer to kill
the pests, they do not have to be
resprayed several times a year
like a chemical pesticide, as they
remain infectious throughout
the swarming season and spread
I from insect to insect.
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
.png)
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.