Exploring genetic variation and screening for disease resistance is an important step in crop breeding initiatives but is lacking for many bean varieties, including mung bean. A study was conducted to evaluate morpho-agronomic traits and screen mung bean genotypes for resistance to powdery mildew disease. A total of 132 mung bean and one rice bean (C3) (as check) genotypes were evaluated in an augmented incomplete block design across two cropping seasons. Diversity was evaluated across 40 morpho-agronomic traits, comprising 13 quantitative traits. Qualitative traits were summarized using pivot tables, while variation in quantitative traits was investigated using linear models, principal component analysis (PCA), and agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC). The genotypes displayed wide variation for the majority of the traits evaluated, and significant differences were observed among the genotypes, block effects, and seasons. Similarly, the effects due to genotypes, checks and genotypes and checks were significant. One mung bean (G32) genotype and one rice bean (R200) genotype presented resistance to powdery mildew under field conditions. Among the quantitative traits evaluated, only days to maturity and shelling percentage showed statistically significant negative correlations with disease severity. PCA revealed that the first four PCs explained 60.64

Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) is a Lepidopteran pest that feeds on more than 70 plant species, both wild and cultivated. A study was carried out in Tanzania to assess farmer’s knowledge regarding the invasion of pests in avocado fruit production in Tanzania. The study interviewed 588 small-scale avocado farmers to gather their knowledge on the presence of the pest, the extent of infestation on fruits, and the impact on fruit production and marketing. A total of 45 orchards were inspected to determine the infestation level of T. leucotreta in 225 randomly selected avocado trees. The findings revealed that 56.1% (n = 330) of the farmers had no idea about any insect pests infesting avocado fruits, while 77.6% (n = 456) of farmers were unaware of T. leucotreta, presence; however, only 22.4% (n = 132) confirmed to have seen damage symptoms caused by the pest on avocado fruits. It was further observed that 51.6% (n = 1158) of the 2250 sampled fruits exhibited T. leucotreta damaging signs (white exudes or frass on fruit surface), thereby confirming the presence of T. leucotreta in farmers’ fields. Furthermore, farmers reported that diseases, poor marketing environment and premature fruit dropping were the main challenges faced in avocado production. These findings highlight farmer’s limited knowledge on T. leucotreta right from its presence, damage level to the potential impact on avocado production in Tanzania. Hence, the study recommends the need to provide such knowledge to farmers and propose management strategies through collaborative research with farmers for increased production.

This study investigated the effects of four plant extracts on the agronomic performance of mung bean (Vigna radiata) during the 2020 growing season at two sites in the northern highlands of Tanzania, namely Miwaleni and TARI Selian, located in the Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions, respectively. The extracts tested included Tephrosia vogelii, Clutia abyssinica, Clausena anisata, and Lobelia giberroa, using a randomized complete block design with four replications. Extract concentrations ranged from 0 to 10,000 mg, with the mung bean variety “Imara” being used. The results indicated that the Miwaleni site significantly outperformed SARI Selian in grain yield, with 762 and 279 kg ha−1, and plant height, with 59.6 and 58.6 cm, respectively. Notably, L. gibelloa produced the highest grain yield at 583.6 kg ha−1, significantly (p = 0.011) greater than that of C. anisata (434.7 kg ha−1). Yields from T. vogelii (542.8 kg ha−1) and C. abyssinica (521.6 kg ha−1) were not significantly different from L. gibelloa. For plant height, C. abyssinica and L. gibelloa had the tallest averages at 60.1 and 60.3 cm, respectively, although these differences were not statistically significant. The interaction between extract concentrations and their effects on yield and height was also examined. At 0% concentration, L. gibelloa had the highest yield (648.8 kg ha−1) and height (65 cm). A concentration of 100 mg generally improved yields for the majority of extracts, particularly C. abyssinica (569.8 kg ha−1), while higher concentrations (1,000 and 10,000 mg) led to significant reductions in yield and height, especially for C. anisata. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing extract levels and considering site-specific factors for enhancing mung bean productivity and sustainability, emphasizing the potential of L. gibelloa in improving yields.

This study assessed the efficacy of plant extracts as alternatives to synthetic pesticides for pest control and seed quality preservation in mungbean cultivation in northern Tanzania, specifically at TARI Selian and Miwaleni. The study employed a randomized complete block design. Four plants’ extracts—Tephrosia vogelii, Clutia abbsynica, Clausena anisata, and Lobelia gibelloa—were evaluated during the 2020 growing season (field) and 2021 storage period (storability). The study focused on their effects on insect pests (leaf beetles, thrips, aphids, whiteflies, and pod borers) and their ability to maintain seed quality during storage. C. anisata emerged as the most effective extract across all pests, demonstrating high suppression rates for thrips (3.4), aphids (3.22), whiteflies (3.4), and pod borers (2.7). In contrast, L. gibelloa was the least effective, with lower suppression rates for thrips (3.1) and aphids (3.1). Furthermore, botanical treatments significantly reduced pest damage in stored seeds, with T. vogelii and C. abbsynica showing superior performance in preserving seed weight and quality during storage. Seeds treated with T. vogelii had significantly fewer holes and lower weight loss compared to other treatments, indicating its effectiveness in both pest management and seed preservation. Conversely, L. gibelloa and C. anisata contributed to greater weight loss, particularly at higher application rates. The study demonstrates that plant extracts can offer a sustainable, eco-friendly alternative to synthetic pesticides, effectively controlling pests and preserving seed quality. These findings are crucial for improving mungbean production and storage, enhancing food security, and reducing reliance on chemical pesticides in diverse agro-ecological contexts. Future research should further explore the long-term ecological impacts and optimal application rates of these botanicals for integrated pest management and seed storage.

Common bean production is constrained by a multitude of biotic constraints including bean flies and Fusarium wilt in tropical and subtropical farming systems globally. As these pests and diseases attack the crop beneath the soil, excessive applications of synthetic pesticides are frequently used for their control. The use of plant-based pesticides could be a more sustainable management approach; however, few studies have investigated their application for controlling soil-borne pests and diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pesticidal plants and soil fertility management for controlling bean fly (Ophiomyia spp.) and Fusarium wilt (Fusarium spp.) using extracts and pastes of Azadirachta indica, Tephrosia vogelii, Tagetes minuta, Lippia javanica, Cymbopogon citratus and Ocimum gratissimum. To protect against Fusarium wilt and bean fly, pesticidal plants were applied as a seed coating and/or foliar spray, and demonstrated that common bean seeds coated with T. vogelii resulted in higher yields than other pesticidal plants and the synthetic pesticide control treatment. Treatments to target bean fly damage showed no significant difference between application methods on the oviposition rate of bean fly. An integrated treatment of T. minuta with 2 g Diammonium phosphate fertilizer and high compost led to higher yields than other treatments. Our results indicate that key soil-borne pests and pathogens of common bean can be effectively managed without synthetic pesticide inputs, while seed ball pastes of pesticidal plants combined with soil fertility management can increase crop yields using cost-beneficial agroecological farming systems.

Abstract Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum spp. remains an intractable problem in the most common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) production areas worldwide and can cause total yield loss. Many smallholder farmers are familiar with using botanical extracts to control insect pests; however, there is less familiarity with their use to control fungal diseases due to a lack of evidence. Here, we demonstrate that anthracnose could be controlled effectively by pesticidal plant species that are used for insect control. In laboratory trials, water extracts from 11 plant species could inhibit fungal growth (100%) and spore germination (75–100%) equally well to two commercially available fungicides, the synthetic Mancolaxyl and biofungicide Bioderma. In screenhouse trials, anthracnose disease was reduced by the extracts of three plant species. Moreover, bean crop growth in these botanical treatments did not differ significantly from that observed in the commercial fungicide treated plants. Field trials in a smallholder community reporting severe problems with anthracnose showed an effect similar to the screenhouse results. Field trials resulted in bean seed yields approximately 350 kg/ha higher in bean plants treated with Azadirachta indica and Lippia javanica at 10% w/v compared to the negative control untreated plants. In all trials, botanical extracts were as effective as commercially available fungicides, suggesting that these botanical extracts could provide dual-purpose pest and disease management for anthracnose and crop pest insects. The outcomes of this research show that prospects for using locally available resources to control anthracnose on common bean are credible and can be combined with controlling insect pests.

IntroductionPests and diseases limit common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) production in intensifying smallholder farming systems of sub-Saharan Africa. Soil-borne pests and diseases (SPD) are particularly challenging for farmers to distinguish and manage in cropping systems that vary in terms of soils, farmer knowledge, and management factors. Few studies have examined soil drivers of SPD in smallholder systems, integrated with farmers' perceptions and management practices.MethodsIn Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, we assessed farmer knowledge and SPD management for common bean alongside soil type and soil quality. Focus group discussions and field survey findings including farmer observations and soil nutrient balances were integrated with soil analyses of farmers' fields. Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) assessed relationships among farmer demographics, pests and diseases, soil characteristics, and management practices.Results and discussionSurveys revealed that 100% of farmers knew of the bean foliage beetle (Ootheca bennigseni) but few recognized the soilborne pest Ophiomyia spp. or bean fly despite it being more destructive. About a third of farmers knew of root rot diseases caused by Pythium spp. and Fusarium spp. Synthetic pesticides were used by 72% of farmers to control pests, while about half that (37%) used pesticidal plants, particularly Tephrosia vogelii extracts sprayed on foliage. Regarding SPD, 90% of farmers reported that their management practices were ineffective. Meanwhile, synthetic fertilizers were used by nearly all farmers in beans intercropped with maize (Zea mays), whilst very few farmers used manure or compost. Soil available phosphorus was lowbut showed a balance between inputs and outputs regardless of whether fields were owned. Field nitrogen balances were more negative when fields were owned by farmers. An MCA showed that older farmers employed a greater number of pest control practices. The PCA showed that field variability was dominated by soil organic matter, elevation, and soil pH. Higher organic matter levels were also associated with less stunting and wilting of beans observed by farmers. Our results suggest that research and farmer learning about SPD ecology are key gaps, alongside recycling of organic residues to soils. Cost-effective and sustainable practices to manage bean SPDs for smallholders are also needed.

Synthetic insecticides heavily applied to manage agricultural pests are highly hazardous to the environment and non-target organisms. Their overuse through repeated treatments in smallholder farming communities is frequent. Botanical biopesticides are ideal for sustainable pest management in agricultural environments by keeping synthetic insecticide use at a minimum. Here we evaluated a locally prepared neem seed extract (NSE) alongside emamectin benzoate against both lepidopteran pests Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) and Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) on tomato Lycopersicon esculentum Mill under natural field conditions in Pakistan. We compared pest severity, fruit injury, quality, marketability, and cost:benefit ratio (CBR) between treatments. The concentration of azadirachtin A in the NSE was 26.5 ppm. NSE at 2% (20 mL/L) and the emamectin benzoate at the recommended field rate in Pakistan were sprayed weekly throughout the fruiting stage. The pest larvae were significantly more abundant on fruits than on flowers and leaves. Fruit injury and losses were significantly more important in untreated control compared to NSE and emamectin benzoate treatments. NSE efficacy varied with respect to the cultivars used and the seasons. Cultivar Eden harboured more pests than Adventa, and emamectin benzoate suppressed more pest individuals than NSE. Both the insecticidal treatments were comparable in terms of marketable yield productions as well as unmarketable, uninjured, and recovered fruit yields. NSE generated a higher CBR (1: 9.26) than emamectin benzoate (1: 3.23). NSE suppressed pests by acting as an antifeedant, similar to its synthetic counterpart. Smallholder growers can thus use NSE as a cost-effective solution in tomato pest management in Pakistan.

Insect pests are a major challenge to smallholder crop production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where access to synthetic pesticides, which are linked to environmental and health risks, is often limited. Biological control interventions could offer a sustainable solution, yet an understanding of their effectiveness is lacking. We used a meta-analysis approach to investigate the effectiveness of commonly used biocontrol interventions and botanical pesticides on pest abundance (PA), crop damage (CD), crop yield (Y) and natural enemy abundance (NEA) when compared with controls with no biocontrol and with synthetic pesticides. We also evaluated whether the magnitude of biocontrol effectiveness was affected by type of biocontrol intervention, crop type, pest taxon, farm type and landscape configuration. Overall, from 99 studies on 31 crops, we found that compared to no biocontrol, biocontrol interventions reduced PA by 63%, CD by over 50% and increased Y by over 60%. Compared to synthetic pesticides, biocontrol resulted in comparable PA and Y, while NEA was 43% greater. Our results also highlighted that the potential for biocontrol to be modulated by landscape configuration is a critical knowledge gap in SSA. We show that biocontrol represents an effective tool for smallholder farmers, which can maintain yields without associated negative pesticide effects. Furthermore, the evidence presented here advocates strongly for including biocontrol practices in national and regional agricultural policies.

The development of large-scale monocropped agrisystems has facilitated increased problems with pests and diseases, perpetuating the reliance of farmers on synthetic pesticides. The economic success of synthetic inputs has, however, been achieved at a high cost to the environment through the loss of biodiversity, depletion of soil quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and disrupting the ecosystem services that can otherwise help mitigate losses caused by pests and diseases. Environmentally benign alternatives for pest and disease management are urgently needed and are now widely recognized as essential for sustainable food and agriculture. The Food and Agriculture Organization, for example, has published the 10 elements of agroecology as a framework for the transformation of agriculture. Agroecology combines ecological and social concepts and principles to develop sustainable food and agricultural systems by harnessing naturebased solutions that are tailored to farmers' needs. Plant- based biopesticides, for example, offer an alternative to synthetic pesticides that are less harmful to the environment and nonpersistent, yet effective at managing pests and have a long tradition of use among farmers so are more socially acceptable. Here, we provide a critical assessment of how nature-based approaches to pest and disease management comply with the 10 elements of agroecology and show how they integrate with other ecosystem services through farmer participatory research. We conclude that the adoption of nature-based solutions for pest management addresses all 10 elements of agroecology and provides an entry point to promote sustainable farming practices among farmers more widely.

Agricultural productivity can be increased sustainably in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) by reducing crop losses due to insect pest damage. As an alternative to environmentally-damaging chemical pesticides, biological control interventions and botanical pesticides show potential to achieve both high yields and profits. However, synthesized information of their performance and understanding of their adoption among smallholder farmers is limited. Here, 173 studies of biological control interventions and botanical pesticides of insect pests for 35 crops from 20 sub-Saharan countries from 2005 to 2021 were systematically reviewed. Drawing on published datasets, we found that cereals, particularly maize, were the most studied crop (59%). Research on botanical pesticides constituted 32% of the studies, followed by augmentation/introduction biocontrol (29%), and push-pull (21%). Studies evaluating the technical performance of biocontrol interventions dominated (73%), with a regional clustering of push-pull studies in Kenya. Few studies investigated each intervention on each crop type, across different farming contexts and scales, highlighting an urgent need for landscape-scale studies to elucidate land-use impacts on biocontrol effectiveness. Limited evidence also exists on the synergistic effects of biocontrol on multiple ecosystem services and on non-target/beneficial organisms. We found an absence of interdisciplinary studies that addressed the wider indirect benefits of not using chemical pesticides, the social-economic outcomes, and barriers to adoption by farmers, which we argue are necessary to identify pathways to greater adoption and to support policy advocacy of biocontrol interventions in SSA.

Assessing the potential drivers of farmers using pesticidal plants for crop protection is essential for wider adoption. However, few studies have focused on collaborative assessments of the underlying trade-offs when using pesticidal plant extracts for pest control. Smallholder farmers in northern Tanzania involved in farmer driven research assessing pesticidal plants evaluated the costs, benefits, trade-offs and areas for future investment. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic information from 77 farmers and their views on pest problems and crop protection in common bean production. This was followed by small focus group discussions (n = 9) using a participatory framework to elucidate the costs and benefits of adopting pesticidal plant technology. A multiple correspondence analysis showed that pesticidal plant use was associated with men greater than 50 years old, and synthetic pesticide use was associated with younger aged farmers and women. Farmers who used synthetics generally did not report the presence of common pest species found in common bean production, whereas farmers who used pesticidal plants were associated with more frequent reports of pest species. This participatory cost–benefit analysis highlighted that tools and processing challenges were the main costs to using pesticidal plants. The main benefit reported when using pesticidal plants was a general improvement to family health. Farmers expressed overall a positive outcome when using pesticidal plants for crop protection and recommended that future investments focus on improving access to tools and education regarding plant processing and extraction to improve uptake of the technology by smallholder farmers.

Increasing dietary diversity is a viable strategy for addressing micronutrient malnutrition in women of childbearing age (WCA) from low-income countries. Recently, it has been demonstrated that some indigenous vegetables (IV) with high nutrient density may help to ameliorate micronutrient’s intake. The Minimum Dietary Diversity index for Women (MDD-W) could be considered as a proxy to describe one important dimension of women’s diet quality. This cross-sectional study aimed at exploring aspects contributing to micronutrients adequacy in Tanzanian WCA, with a focus on IV consumption and other socio-demographic factors. Data collection was conducted among urban and peri-urban women in Arusha city, Tanzania. Socio-demographic factors were collected using a structured interview. Information on IV consumption and MDD-W calculation were obtained using a 24-h recall. One-hundred and forty-one women aged 14–49 years were interviewed. Sixteen per cent of the sample consumed at least one portion of IV/day. The total median MDD-W was 4.0 (IQR. 3.0–5.0) and it was adequate in the 44% of the sample. Women who consumed IV had MDD-W 0.66 points (95% CI: 0.02–1.30, p = 0.046) higher than those who did not; consuming IV had an odds ratio of more than three times concerning women not consuming IV (OR: 3.30, 95% CI: 1.24–8.81, p = 0.017). The IV consumption is positively associated with micronutrient adequacy and its absence from the diet can be an indicator of micronutrient deficiencies in vulnerable people such as WCA. For that reason, this study suggests that IV consumption may improve micronutrient deficiency in WCA.

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is an important food and cash crop in many countries. Bean crop yields in sub-Saharan Africa are on average 50% lower than the global average, which is largely due to severe problems with pests and diseases as well as poor soil fertility exacerbated by low-input smallholder production systems. Recent on-farm research in eastern Africa has shown that commonly available plants with pesticidal properties can successfully manage arthropod pests. However, reducing common bean yield gaps still requires further sustainable solutions to other crop provisioning services such as soil fertility and plant nutrition. Smallholder farmers using pesticidal plants have claimed that the application of pesticidal plant extracts boosts plant growth, potentially through working as a foliar fertiliser. Thus, the aims of the research presented here were to determine whether plant growth and yield could be enhanced and which metabolic processes were induced through the application of plant extracts commonly used for pest control in eastern Africa. Extracts from Tephrosia vogelii and Tithonia diversifolia were prepared at a concentration of 10% w/v and applied to potted bean plants in a pest-free screen house as foliar sprays as well as directly to the soil around bean plants to evaluate their contribution to growth, yield and potential changes in primary or secondary metabolites. Outcomes of this study showed that the plant extracts significantly increased chlorophyll content, the number of pods per plant and overall seed yield. Other increases in metabolites were observed, including of rutin, phenylalanine and tryptophan. The plant extracts had a similar effect to a commercially available foliar fertiliser whilst the application as a foliar spray was better than applying the extract to the soil. These results suggest that pesticidal plant extracts can help overcome multiple limitations in crop provisioning services, enhancing plant nutrition in addition to their established uses for crop pest management.

Tephrosia vogelii is a plant species chemically characterized by the presence of entomotoxic rotenoids and used widely across Africa as a botanical pesticide. Phytochemical analysis was conducted to establish the presence and abundance of the bioactive principles in this species across three countries in East Africa: Tanzania, Kenya, and Malawi. Analysis of methanolic extracts of foliar parts of T. vogelii revealed the occurrence of two distinct chemotypes that were separated by the presence of rotenoids in one, and flavanones and flavones that are not bioactive against insects on the other. Specifically, chemotype 1 contained deguelin as the major rotenoid along with tephrosin, and rotenone as a minor component, while these compounds were absent from chemotype 2, which contained previously reported flavanones and flavones including obovatin-3-O-methylether. Chemotype 3 contained a combination of the chemical profiles of both chemotype 1 and 2 suggesting a chemical hybrid. Plant samples identified as chemotype 1 showed chemical consistency across seasons and altitudes, except in the wet season where a significant difference was observed for samples in Tanzania. Since farmers are unable to determine the chemical content of material available care must be taken in promoting this species for pest management without first establishing efficacy. While phytochemical analysis serves as an important tool for quality control of pesticidal plants, where analytical facilities are not available simple bioassays could be developed to enable extension staff and farmers to determine the efficacy of their plants and ensure only effective materials are adopted.

In the fight against arthropod crop pests using plant secondary metabolites, most research has focussed on the identification of bioactive molecules. Several hundred candidate plant species and compounds are now known to have pesticidal properties against a range of arthropod pest species. Despite this growing body of research, few natural products are commercialized for pest management whilst on-farm use of existing botanically-based pesticides remains a small, but growing, component of crop protection practice. Uptake of natural pesticides is at least partly constrained by limited data on the trade-offs of their use on farm. The research presented here assessed the potential trade-offs of using pesticidal plant extracts on legume crop yields and the regulating ecosystem services of natural pests enemies. The application of six established pesticidal plants (Bidens pilosa, Lantana camara, Lippia javanica, Tephrosia vogelii, Tithonia diversifolia, and Vernonia amygdalina) were compared to positive and negative controls for their impact on yields of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) crops and the abundance of key indicator pest and predatory arthropod species. Analysis of field trials showed that pesticidal plant treatments often resulted in crop yields that were comparable to the use of a synthetic pesticide (lambda-cyhalothrin). The best-performing plant species were T. vogelii, T. diversifolia, and L. javanica. The abundance of pests was very low when using the synthetic pesticide, whilst the plant extracts generally had a higher number of pests than the synthetic but lower numbers than observed on the negative controls. Beneficial arthropod numbers were low with synthetic treated crops, whereas the pesticidal plant treatments appeared to have little effect on beneficials when compared to the negative controls. The outcomes of this research suggest that using extracts of pesticidal plants to control pests can be as effective as synthetic insecticides in terms of crop yields while tritrophic effects were reduced, conserving the non-target arthropods that provide important ecosystem services such as pollination and pest regulation. Thus managing crop pests using plant secondary metabolites can be more easily integrated in to agro-ecologically sustainable crop production systems.

Plants with pesticidal properties have been investigated for decades as alternatives to synthetics, but only a handful have been commercialised and developed as non-food cash crops. One of the reasons why pesticidal plants are failing to deliver new pesticidal products is that they are often not evaluated under field conditions by farmers. Furthermore, many aspects of pesticide use related to environmental safety, such as their impact on beneficial organisms, remain under-evaluated. With a view to overcoming these bottlenecks, extracts made from six abundant weed species found across sub-Saharan Africa (Bidens pilosa, Lantana camara, Lippia javanica, Tithonia diversifolia, Tephrosia vogelii and Vernonia amygdalina) were evaluated in on-station and on-farm trials over two years (2015 and 2016) in two different countries (Tanzania and Malawi) on common bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris). All plant species offered effective control of key pest species that was comparable in terms of harvested bean yield to a synthetic pyrethroid. Furthermore, the plant pesticide treatments had significantly lower negative effects on natural enemies (hover flies, lacewings, ladybird beetles and spiders). Thus, pesticidal plants were better able to support ecosystem services whilst effectively managing pests. Small holder farmer rankings on their perceived efficacy of the different plant species indicated that T. vogelii was the most preferred and effective, achieving bean yields as good as the synthetic, if not better. As T. vogelii is fast growing with a well-known and understood phytochemistry, it is an excellent candidate for commercial development to supplement pyrethrum production by African small holder farmers.

Pesticidal plants are scientifically proven for their effectiveness in controlling insect pests. Their activity is enhanced by active compounds contained, which are known for their repellant and antifeedant potentials to the insects. Use of pesticidal plants by local small scale farmers has been a point of concern following information that majority of farmers do not widely use pesticidal plants despite of an indigenous knowledge that they possess. Improvement of the technologies used by local farmers in previous times, that are easy and effective need to help farmers abstain from the use of synthetic pesticides that are detrimental to the environment and to their own health. This paper reviews the potentiality of pesticidal plants to small holder farmers. It also gives the status of pesticidal plants use, their possible effectiveness against insect pests, persistence as well as the knowledge that indigenous people possess in their use. Again, the paper suggests the need for more instrumental research on practical improvement of indigenous knowledge on the use of pesticidal plants with scientific evidences.