Abstract
Botanical pesticides have emerged as a promising alternative to synthetic chemical ones due to their non-persistence, high selectivity, and low mammalian toxicity. Plants are known to be rich sources of bioactive chemicals and hence they are considered to be a good alternative source of agents for controlling insects. The aim of the study was to assess the antifeedant and insecticidal properties of selected South African species of the family Meliaceae against the fall armyworm and diamondback moth. The study hypothesized that the selected plants used traditionally as insecticides will exhibit insecticidal, antifeedant or deterrent properties. The first objective of this study was to conduct an ethnobotanical literature survey to document medicinal plants that are used traditionally as insecticides and antifeedants, and to determine if these plants have previously been scientifically proven to have such properties. This literature survey identified 113 plant species distributed in 35 families using journal articles sourced from different databases and books...
M.Sc. (Botany)