Tomato
Scientific name:
Lycopersicon esculentum
Family: Solanaceae
Photo by Jewel Bissdorf
Plant parts used
Leaves, branches, stems
Mode of action
Insecticidal, repellent
Formulations
Materials |
Methods of preparation |
How to use |
Target pests |
Tomato leaf spray (Ellis; Bradley, 1996: p. 485)
1-2 cups of tomato leaves
2 cups of water
Basin or pail
Knife
Strainer |
Finely chop tomato leaves.
Soak
overnight in 2 cups of water.
Strain and add 2 more cups of water.
|
Spray to cover infested plant parts thoroughly . |
Aphids
Corn earworm |
Tomato leaf spray (Stoll, 2000: p. 174)
1kg of tomato leaves
17 liters of water
Few drops of soap
Mortar and pestle
Pail
Strainer
This quantity is good for 1000 plants. |
Pound leaves. Mix with water. Allow to stand for some time.
Filter.
Stir-in soap.
|
Start application when larvae start to infest plants. |
Diamondback moth |
Standard procedures for the preparation and application of the plant extracts
- Select plant parts that are free from diseases.
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- When storing the plant parts for future usage, make sure that they are properly dried and are stored in an airy container (never use plastic container), away from direct sunlight and moisture. Make sure that they are free from molds before using them.
- Use utensils for the extract preparation that are not use for your food preparation and for drinking and cooking water containers. Clean properly all the utensils every time after using them.
- Do not have a direct contact with the crude extract while in the process of the preparation and during the application.
- Make sure that you place the plant extract out of reach of children and house pets while leaving it overnight.
- Harvest all the mature and ripe fruits before plant extract application.
- Always test the plant extract formulation on a few infested plants first before going into large scale spraying. When adding soap as an emulsifier, use a potash-based one.
- Wear protective clothing while applying the extract.
- Wash your hands after handling the plant extract.
Effect on humans
None known during the write-up, however take extra caution as extract maybe harmful to people with very sensitive skin.
Effect on non-target organisms
Avoid using spray on other nightshade crops (tobacco, pepper, eggplant, potato) because of the risk of spreading mosaic virus.