Natural insecticides made from spices provide a harmless growth environment for crops. This figure is Murray Isman, Ph.D. He is the developer of this pesticide.
When it comes to lost fragrance, thyme, cloves, and mint, most people think of tasty food. If you want to go further, there will be more unexpected discoveries. These well-known spices may now become important insecticides for growing organic vegetables and fruits, which are produced according to the needs of the public.
At the 238th International Conference of the American Chemical Society, Canadian scientists announced that they are conducting a new study of "essential oil insecticides" or "killer spices."
These insecticides are natural insecticides that are harmless to the environment as opposed to traditional insecticides, and they hardly harm the human body and animal body, the researchers said.
“We are exploring potential botanical essential oil insecticides in nature — they are commonly used in food and beverage condiments.†Research Chair, Murray Isman, Ph.D., University of British Columbia, Canada To. These new insecticides are usually diluted by two or four different traces of spices, some of which can kill insects directly, and others can drive insects.
In the past decade, lsman and colleagues have tried many plant essential oils and found that they have a wide range of insecticidal activity against agricultural pests. Some spices that often appear in the market have been successfully used by farmers to protect organic strawberries, spinach, and tomato crops from aphids and ticks during the planting process, the researchers said.
"These products increase the organic cultivation of weapons against pests," Lsman said. They are only a small market for pesticides, but they are growing well. â€
"This natural insecticide, unlike traditional insecticides, has many benefits. These 'killer spices' can be used immediately without the approval of the regulatory authorities. The additional benefit is that insects are less likely to develop resistance and exposure. It is safe for farm workers in high-hazard pesticide environments," Lsman said.
But this new insecticide also has its disadvantages, because the essential oil evaporates quickly and degrades rapidly in the sun. Compared to traditional pesticides, farmers need to apply this spice-based pesticide more frequently. The efficacy of some of these pesticides is only a few hours, but the efficacy of traditional pesticides has days or even months. Since these natural insecticides are much less effective than traditional insecticides, they still need to be purified and raised to be suitable for use, lsman said. Researchers are now investigating ways to make natural pesticides more effective and more effective.
“They are not the panacea for controlling pests,†says Lsman, who says ordinary pesticides are still most effective at controlling caterpillars, aphids, beetles and other large insects in commercial food crops. But in the end, there is still a need for pesticides that are beneficial to both the environment and the human body.
"The spice killer" is not only used in agriculture. Studies have shown that he can also be used as an environmentally friendly toxin against mosquitoes, flies and cockroaches. Unlike traditional pungent insecticide sprays, these natural insecticides have a pleasant aroma. Many natural insecticides contain the same essential oils as aromatherapy products, such as cinnamon and mint.
Manufacturers have developed fragrance-based products that are harmless to animals for removing ticks and flea from dogs and cats. Researchers are now exploring other fragrance-based products for combating microbes in fruits and vegetables, such as E. coli and Salmonella, which cause food poisoning.
Other scientists are exploring the ability of insects to fight against lavender, basil, bergamot, patchouli oil and at least 12 exotic ingredients from China. (Global Scientific Editor Luo Licong)