MIDDLE EASTERN FLORA PLANT EXTRACTS AS A RESOURCE OF SAFE BIO-ACRICIDES FOR MANAGEMENT OF FIELD PESTS IN AGRICULTURE

• Sponsoring Institution: Agricultural Research Service/USDA
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: USDA COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0407413
• Project Start Date: Sep 25, 2003
• Project End Date: Oct 1, 2004
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
THE GALILEE SOCIETY
MAIN ROAD HW #79
SHEFA-AMR,null 20200

Performing Department
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTR

Non Technical Summary
(N/A)

Animal Health Component

15%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

75%

Applied

15%

Developmental

10%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
111	0110	9900	20%
405	0210	9900	80%

Knowledge Area
111 - Conservation and Efficient Use of Water; 405 - Drainage and Irrigation Systems and Facilities;

Subject Of Investigation
0110 - Soil; 0210 - Water resources;

Field Of Science
9900 - Unclassified;

Keywords

plant

mites

tetranychus

cinnababarins

botanical

pesticides

synthetic

pesticides

natural

products

mite

Goals / Objectives
Develop biodegradable, environmentally friendly, and economically sustainable botanical pesticides from indigenous plant species as substitutes for synthetic pesticides.

Project Methods
Activities include: (a) Isolate acricidal active compounds from plant extracts and conduct bioassays on phytophagous mites; (b) characterize and identify the bio-active compounds; (c) perform efficacy tests on the active compounds for control of Tetranychus cinnabarinus mites; (d) evaluate the bio-safety of the active compounds; (e) examine the biochemistry and physiology of plants as a source for acariciadal ingredients.

Progress 09/25/03 to 10/01/04

Outputs
4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? The cooperating scientists on this project are: Dr. Mozaina Kobaisy, Ms. Suha Dakwar, Dr. Steve Duke, USDA-ARS Natural Products Utilization Research Lab, Oxford, Mississippi; and Dr. Hassan Azaizeh, Research and Development Center, Galilee Society, Shefa Amr, Israel. The common arthropod pests of global importance are the tetranychid mites: Tetranychus urticae and T. cinnabarinus. These mites feed on numerous cultivated crops and cause serious damage, reducing quality and quantity of yield. The economic threat posed by these mites is constantly increasing because of the development of pesticide resistance and destruction of natural enemies due to the non-selectivity of synthetic pesticide use. Bioactive ingredients were extracted from the three species. Two extracts were prepared from Calicarpa Americana, one in hexane and the other in methanol. The four extracts showed no toxicity to animals or to humans using mitochondrial tetrazolium test (MTT). The bioassay showed that the extract of Calicarpa Americana in hexane was with low effect on the mites. The extract of Artemesia leucodes was the best extract as a source of acaricidal compounds. The extracts of Sinapis alba in ethanol and Calicarpa Americana in methanol were with moderate effect as an acaricidal source to control T. cinnabarinus mites. The results indicate that further investigation is required to characterize and identify the bioactive ingredients from A. leucodes and Sinapis alba. Development of a new, safe product for spider mite control would be of significant benefit to the farmers in Israel and the USA.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications