Hope for the humble cabbage - biological pest management programs (diamond back moth)
Deidre Charleston Plants, herbivores and carnivores are connected through an intricate array of chemical linkages. The plant kingdom is by far the most efficient producer of chemical compounds, synthesising many products that are used in defence against herbivore attack. Extracts prepared from plants have a variety of properties including insecticidal, such as toxicity to nematodes, mites and other agricultural pests. They also have antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties against pathogens. Many farmers in developing countries do not have the resources to purchase and apply...