INVESTIGATION OF ANTI MICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF TRADITIONAL BOTANICAL PESTICIDES COLLECTED FROM SIDAMA AREA, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Indigenous knowledge and systems of crop protection are at risk of extinction today because of the rapidly changing natural environments and cultural shifts at global scale. Many traditional pest control practices are disappearing because of introduction of foreign technologies like synthetic pesticides that assure short-term solutions to the problems. The aim of the present study was therefore, to identify the potential of botanical used by farmers in Sidama region, and investigate their antimicrobial activities against some plant pathogens. Information on traditional botanicals pesticides used for crop pests control was collected through observation, key informant interview, questionnaire, and group discussions. The antimicrobial activities of the common botanicals in the study area were investigated using filter paper disc and agar well diffusion method following standard procedure. The bioactive compounds from leaves of 16 botanicals were extracted with 95% ethanol, and the phytochemical tests were conducted. The result revealed that farmers in the study area have different ethnobotanical experience in their neighbourhood. Various plants belonging to different families were valued for pesticide activities. The botanically-derived pesticides were perceived to be affordable, effective, available, safe and dependable. However, estimating the proportion/ concentration of botanicals to be used for pest control where mentioned as a critical challenge. The ethanolic extract of Cordia africana (18.30mm) showed the maximum inhibition zone against Fusarium vertecelloides while the minimum antibacterial activity was observed by Eucalyptus globules extract (9.43mm) against Ralstonia solanacearum as compared with other botanicals included in the current work. Our investigation showed that the botanicals contain phenols, tannins, glycosides, flavonoids, saponins and steroids. The present work revealed that botanicals in the study area have potential to be used for crop pest control. In order to exploit this potential; standardized techniques of preparation, bio-safety and environmental guidelines are required.