Use natural plant extracts to protect your crop against pests

Farmerscontrol pests and diseases using

less costly methods such as the use of plant

extractsand even natural biopesticide

products in the market to make their food

safe for consumption in place of chemicals.

Beritah Mutune The prolong rains have no doubt been a blessing to many farmers who took the advantage of the rains to grow various crops. After end of the rains the meteorological department says a severe drought will follow. This will increase pests that destroy crops, causing great damage to crops. It is important to know how to protect your crops and spending less time and money fighting pests with insecticides and other toxic products.

   Early pest detection helps the farmer to assess the situation and plan the next steps to eradicate it. Monitoring involves the pest early warning signs, crops affected and type of pest damage.

Some of the most common pests include the following:

Aphids, whiteflies, thrips, bean flies, fall armyworm, stem borers, fruit fly, leaf miners amongst others. Farmers can control these pests through prevention, non-toxic home-made remedies, use of other industrial substances, use of pheromone baited taps, use of natural enemies which are friends to the farmers, and other natural control measures.

Prevention: Farmers need to know that the easiest way to prevent insects’ damage in your farm is by creating unfavorable conditions for them to thrive. A healthy farm is the best defense. This can be done by: –

Pull out any weak plants.

Weak plants may already be infected. If not, they will attract predators. Pull the plant and dispose of it away from the farm area.

Build healthy, organic soil:Using natural composting methods, mulching, and adding compost manure to the soil is the best way to develop strong and healthy plants.

Minimize insect habitat: Clear your farm area of debris and weeds, which are breeding places for insects.

Use clean mulch:

Interplant and rotate crops:

Insect pests are often plant specific. When plantings are mixed, pests are less likely to spread throughout a crop. Rotating crops each year is a common method to avoid re-infestation of pests.

Keep foliage dry: It is highly recommended to water your plants early in the day so that they will be dry for most of the day. Wet foliage encourages insect and fungal damage to your plants.

Disinfect working tools: If a farmer has been working with infested plants, he is advised to clean his/her tools before moving on to other farm areas. This will reduce the speed of invading insects.

Use of pest resistant plant varieties: Some plants and plant varieties are more prone to pest issues than others. Preventing pests in your farm is sometimes as simple as choosing pest-resistant plant varieties.

Use safe home-made remedies: Homemade remedies are inexpensive, and the farmer is sure of what he/she is applying to the crops in the farm. Many homemade remedies have been used with good results to control harmful insects. They usually involve harmful (but non-toxic) ingredients such as garlic, neem, cinnamon, chilies, etc. which are diluted in water and blended ready to be sprayed on the plants.

 Industrial products: Some of these products farmers can use include: Use of bar soap, cooking oil, sugar which are blended and diluted with water to be sprayed to plants.

How to make 20 litres of Fermented Plant Extracts (FPE) to control pests (box)

Ingredients

1 litre of molasses

1 litre EM1

4kg of different plants with biopesticide properties

eg stinging nettle, sodom’s apple,neem, African marigold

Tithonia,comfrey, garlic and even chilli

A 20-litrejerrycan (molasses and EM1 is available in many agrovet shops).

Preparation

-Mix the molasses and EM1 with 5 litres of water.

-Chop up the vegetation into small pieces the way you chop vegetables and add into the jerrycan.

-Fill the jerry can to the brim with water and seal with a lid to keep it airtight for 14 days.

Use

After 14 days, filter the solution, dilute it at a ratio of 1 litre FPE to 100 litre of water (1:100) and use a spray. If you use a knapsack sprayer, ensure to pass the extract through a piece of clean cloth (sieve) to stop the plant particles from blocking the nozzles of the sprayer. Add foam from bar soap to act as a sticker or use ordinary stickers bought from shops. Spray at least three times every week since natural pesticides do not work in the same way as pesticides.

Farmerscontrol pests and diseases using

less costly methods such as the use of plant

extractsand even natural biopesticide

products in the market to make their food

safe for consumption in place of chemicals.

Beritah Mutune The prolong rains have no doubt been a blessing to many farmers who took the advantage of the rains to grow various crops. After end of the rains the meteorological department says a severe drought will follow. This will increase pests that destroy crops, causing great damage to crops. It is important to know how to protect your crops and spending less time and money fighting pests with insecticides and other toxic products.

   Early pest detection helps the farmer to assess the situation and plan the next steps to eradicate it. Monitoring involves the pest early warning signs, crops affected and type of pest damage.

Some of the most common pests include the following:

Aphids, whiteflies, thrips, bean flies, fall armyworm, stem borers, fruit fly, leaf miners amongst others. Farmers can control these pests through prevention, non-toxic home-made remedies, use of other industrial substances, use of pheromone baited taps, use of natural enemies which are friends to the farmers, and other natural control measures.

Prevention: Farmers need to know that the easiest way to prevent insects’ damage in your farm is by creating unfavorable conditions for them to thrive. A healthy farm is the best defense. This can be done by: –

Pull out any weak plants.

Weak plants may already be infected. If not, they will attract predators. Pull the plant and dispose of it away from the farm area.

Build healthy, organic soil:Using natural composting methods, mulching, and adding compost manure to the soil is the best way to develop strong and healthy plants.

Minimize insect habitat: Clear your farm area of debris and weeds, which are breeding places for insects.

Use clean mulch:

Interplant and rotate crops:

Insect pests are often plant specific. When plantings are mixed, pests are less likely to spread throughout a crop. Rotating crops each year is a common method to avoid re-infestation of pests.

Keep foliage dry: It is highly recommended to water your plants early in the day so that they will be dry for most of the day. Wet foliage encourages insect and fungal damage to your plants.

Disinfect working tools: If a farmer has been working with infested plants, he is advised to clean his/her tools before moving on to other farm areas. This will reduce the speed of invading insects.

Use of pest resistant plant varieties: Some plants and plant varieties are more prone to pest issues than others. Preventing pests in your farm is sometimes as simple as choosing pest-resistant plant varieties.

Use safe home-made remedies: Homemade remedies are inexpensive, and the farmer is sure of what he/she is applying to the crops in the farm. Many homemade remedies have been used with good results to control harmful insects. They usually involve harmful (but non-toxic) ingredients such as garlic, neem, cinnamon, chilies, etc. which are diluted in water and blended ready to be sprayed on the plants.

 Industrial products: Some of these products farmers can use include: Use of bar soap, cooking oil, sugar which are blended and diluted with water to be sprayed to plants.

How to make 20 litres of Fermented Plant Extracts (FPE) to control pests (box)

Ingredients

1 litre of molasses

1 litre EM1

4kg of different plants with biopesticide properties

eg stinging nettle, sodom’s apple,neem, African marigold

Tithonia,comfrey, garlic and even chilli

A 20-litrejerrycan (molasses and EM1 is available in many agrovet shops).

Preparation

-Mix the molasses and EM1 with 5 litres of water.

-Chop up the vegetation into small pieces the way you chop vegetables and add into the jerrycan.

-Fill the jerry can to the brim with water and seal with a lid to keep it airtight for 14 days.

Use

After 14 days, filter the solution, dilute it at a ratio of 1 litre FPE to 100 litre of water (1:100) and use a spray. If you use a knapsack sprayer, ensure to pass the extract through a piece of clean cloth (sieve) to stop the plant particles from blocking the nozzles of the sprayer. Add foam from bar soap to act as a sticker or use ordinary stickers bought from shops. Spray at least three times every week since natural pesticides do not work in the same way as pesticides.