Herbs Can Act As Natural Pesticides
Sep 9th, 2009 | By admin | Category: Featured, HerbsPrized for their ability to spruce up the simplest of dishes, their scent, even their therapeutic properties, herbs and spices are also potent weapons to combat insects and unwanted plants in the garden.
This is according to Murray Isman, a professor of agroecology at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, who presented his research at the American Chemical Society’s 238th national meeting in Washington. According to Isman, different herbs, spices and other plants that can be commonly grown have different protective properties:
Some kill insects directly, others simply alter their behavior – dissuading females, say, from laying eggs on a plant. Rosemary and thyme have antifungal properties; they protect against powdery mildew. Clove and citrus keep other plants, or weeds, at bay.
Using these natural pesticides offer a number of advantages over chemicals, not the least of which is their lower toxicity. On the downside: essential oils tend to degrade quickly, making their use as a pesticide a little more problematic than traditional chemical-based pesticides.
Popularity: 3% [?]
