Screening for the efficacy of botanicals and soaps in controlling the Banana Aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa (Hemiptera: Aphididae) under laboratory and screenhouse conditions

Controlling banana aphid (Pentalonia nigronervosa) vectors of banana bunchy-top disease is crucial for integrated disease management. Synthetic insecticides, though effective in aphid control, pose health and environmental risks. Biorational pesticides (including botanicals and soaps) are safer alte...

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Main Authors: Ogwal, Geofrey, Peter Wasswa, Ocimati, Walter, Omondi, Bonaventure Aman, Tazuba, Anthony Fredrick, Otim, Michael Hilary, Blomme, Guy
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: MDPI 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179299
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author Ogwal, Geofrey
Peter Wasswa
Ocimati, Walter
Omondi, Bonaventure Aman
Tazuba, Anthony Fredrick
Otim, Michael Hilary
Blomme, Guy
author_browse Blomme, Guy
Ocimati, Walter
Ogwal, Geofrey
Omondi, Bonaventure Aman
Otim, Michael Hilary
Peter Wasswa
Tazuba, Anthony Fredrick
author_facet Ogwal, Geofrey
Peter Wasswa
Ocimati, Walter
Omondi, Bonaventure Aman
Tazuba, Anthony Fredrick
Otim, Michael Hilary
Blomme, Guy
author_sort Ogwal, Geofrey
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Controlling banana aphid (Pentalonia nigronervosa) vectors of banana bunchy-top disease is crucial for integrated disease management. Synthetic insecticides, though effective in aphid control, pose health and environmental risks. Biorational pesticides (including botanicals and soaps) are safer alternatives. This study screened four fresh and fermented aqueous plant extracts (chili pepper, garlic, neem, and peppermint) and three soaps (bathing, laundry bar, and liquid soap) singly or in mixtures against banana aphids through in vitro and in vivo experiments. Aphid-inoculated banana leaf-blade disks were used for the in vitro studies over 96 h. Potted plantlets were used for the in vivo studies over eight weeks. Applying these preparations resulted in significant (p ≤ 0.05) aphid mortality (28.6 to 100%) compared to the water control (3.3%) at 96 h post-spray (hps). In vitro, a single application of nimbecidine® (Azadirachtin 0.03%), garlic, chili-pepper botanicals, insecticidal, and bathing soap caused >50% mortality at 96 hps. Mixed applications of chili pepper, garlic-based, and neem botanicals with soap caused >70% mortality at 96 hps in vitro. Binary mixtures of neem oil, garlic, fermented garlic, or fermented peppermint with insecticidal soap, and neem oil with bar soap, were promising in vivo, reducing the aphid populations to 200 aphids after week 8. However, these potential preparations incurred a higher cost (USD 1.30/banana mat) compared to the synthetic pesticide (USD 0.022/mat). Thus, biorational mixtures have a potential to effectively control banana aphids.
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spelling CGSpace1792992025-12-28T02:06:42Z Screening for the efficacy of botanicals and soaps in controlling the Banana Aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa (Hemiptera: Aphididae) under laboratory and screenhouse conditions Ogwal, Geofrey Peter Wasswa Ocimati, Walter Omondi, Bonaventure Aman Tazuba, Anthony Fredrick Otim, Michael Hilary Blomme, Guy bananas banana bunchy top virus banana bunchy top pentalonia nigronervosa botanical insecticides soaps Controlling banana aphid (Pentalonia nigronervosa) vectors of banana bunchy-top disease is crucial for integrated disease management. Synthetic insecticides, though effective in aphid control, pose health and environmental risks. Biorational pesticides (including botanicals and soaps) are safer alternatives. This study screened four fresh and fermented aqueous plant extracts (chili pepper, garlic, neem, and peppermint) and three soaps (bathing, laundry bar, and liquid soap) singly or in mixtures against banana aphids through in vitro and in vivo experiments. Aphid-inoculated banana leaf-blade disks were used for the in vitro studies over 96 h. Potted plantlets were used for the in vivo studies over eight weeks. Applying these preparations resulted in significant (p ≤ 0.05) aphid mortality (28.6 to 100%) compared to the water control (3.3%) at 96 h post-spray (hps). In vitro, a single application of nimbecidine® (Azadirachtin 0.03%), garlic, chili-pepper botanicals, insecticidal, and bathing soap caused >50% mortality at 96 hps. Mixed applications of chili pepper, garlic-based, and neem botanicals with soap caused >70% mortality at 96 hps in vitro. Binary mixtures of neem oil, garlic, fermented garlic, or fermented peppermint with insecticidal soap, and neem oil with bar soap, were promising in vivo, reducing the aphid populations to 200 aphids after week 8. However, these potential preparations incurred a higher cost (USD 1.30/banana mat) compared to the synthetic pesticide (USD 0.022/mat). Thus, biorational mixtures have a potential to effectively control banana aphids. 2026 2025-12-27T15:51:14Z 2025-12-27T15:51:14Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179299 en Open Access application/pdf MDPI Ogwal, G.; Peter Wasswa; Ocimati, W.; Omondi, B.A.; Tazuba, A.F.; Otim, M.H.; Blomme, G. (2026) Screening for the efficacy of botanicals and soaps in controlling the Banana Aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa (Hemiptera: Aphididae) under laboratory and screenhouse conditions. Insects 17(1): 23. ISSN: 2075-4450
spellingShingle bananas
banana bunchy top virus
banana bunchy top
pentalonia nigronervosa
botanical insecticides
soaps
Ogwal, Geofrey
Peter Wasswa
Ocimati, Walter
Omondi, Bonaventure Aman
Tazuba, Anthony Fredrick
Otim, Michael Hilary
Blomme, Guy
Screening for the efficacy of botanicals and soaps in controlling the Banana Aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa (Hemiptera: Aphididae) under laboratory and screenhouse conditions
title Screening for the efficacy of botanicals and soaps in controlling the Banana Aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa (Hemiptera: Aphididae) under laboratory and screenhouse conditions
title_full Screening for the efficacy of botanicals and soaps in controlling the Banana Aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa (Hemiptera: Aphididae) under laboratory and screenhouse conditions
title_fullStr Screening for the efficacy of botanicals and soaps in controlling the Banana Aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa (Hemiptera: Aphididae) under laboratory and screenhouse conditions
title_full_unstemmed Screening for the efficacy of botanicals and soaps in controlling the Banana Aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa (Hemiptera: Aphididae) under laboratory and screenhouse conditions
title_short Screening for the efficacy of botanicals and soaps in controlling the Banana Aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa (Hemiptera: Aphididae) under laboratory and screenhouse conditions
title_sort screening for the efficacy of botanicals and soaps in controlling the banana aphid pentalonia nigronervosa hemiptera aphididae under laboratory and screenhouse conditions
topic bananas
banana bunchy top virus
banana bunchy top
pentalonia nigronervosa
botanical insecticides
soaps
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179299
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