ICRISAT intern developed Bio-insecticide

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About Bio-insecticide-

• It is a cost-effective bio-insecticide from the leaves of bullock’s heart tree (Annona reticulata), popularly known as ramphal.
• Extracts from different parts of this plant have traditionally been used to cure conditions including dysentery and pediculosis (louse infestation).
• Extracts from its leaves may be useful against three destructive pests — Pod borer, Green peach aphid and fall armyworm — with a mortality rate of 78-88 per cent. All these pests are known for incurring crop losses to farmers.
• Pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera) alone may cause losses worth more than $300 million (over Rs 24 billion) annually. 
• Green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) causes 38-42 per cent yield loss in various crops and fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) causes 21-53 per cent losses in the absence of pest management. 
• The fall armyworm impact on Indian agriculture was considerable. So much so that the country had to import Bio-insecticides to healthy and pesticide-free produce, costing between $9 and $12 per acre of cropland. It costs a humble $0.33 per litre to produce pesticide from the leaves of the bullock’s heart.
• This makes it a cost-effective pesticide for smallholder farmers and provides an additional source of revenue through the sale of fruits for human consumption and the leaves for bio-pesticide extracts.

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