Botanical Pest Controls

There is a misconception among many gardeners that organophosphates and other synthetic "chemical" insecticides are dangerous, while botanical and mineral insecticides are not. This is not necessarily true. Some botanicals, such as Insecticidal Soaps, are nearly harmless to mammals. But, in fact, Nicotine Sulfate and Rotenone are more toxic than, say, the chemicals Malathion or Carbaryl (Sevin). Then why do we sell botanicals? Unlike many synthetic chemicals, most botanicals decompose quickly in the garden, broken down by oxygen and sunlight. This means their residues do not endanger our soil, our water supply, pets, people or wildlife. And it means there is somewhat less risk to beneficial insects which might come in contact with the poisons, even though most are broad-spectrum insecticides. This quick breakdown is the main reason botanicals were eventually abandoned in favor of synthetic chemicals. The chemicals knock out bugs over a longer period, but they also leave dangerous residues in the soil, in our water supply and on our food. We believe that in some circumstances a botanical spray or dust may be the best response to a serious problem. But only after: (1) you're sure which insect is causing the problem. (2) you've tried less drastic measures, like insect predators and parasites, traps and barriers. (3) you've decided that saving your crop is worth the risk of using botanical insecticides. (4) you've taken the normal safety precautions in using them.

Organic gardeners and organic farmers do not always agree among themselves about which sprays and dusts are acceptable. Most use mild pest controls like Insecticidal Soaps. Nearly all the other botanical controls (derived from plants) are, to some extent, toxic. Any compound that can kill insects can, at least, make a person or a pet very sick. Some of the botanicals, such as Rotenone in Asia and South America and Pyrethrum in Iran, have been used for many centuries. All of the following are used widely in the U.S. until synthetic chemicals became available in the 1940s or 1950s. Now that the synthetics have caused so much problem with the environment, botanicals are slowly coming back into favor.

ROTENONE Rotenone is a resin derived from the roots of several leguminous plants, principally LONCHOCARPUS, A South American plant, and DERIS, from Malaysia. It is a broad-spectrum contact and stomach poison, affecting nerve and muscle cells. It causes insects to stop feeding and die within a few hours or days. Rotenone is extremely toxic to fish, but when accidentally eaten by humans and other animals, Rotenone is broken down by the liver. Inhaling large amounts of Rotenone, however, can be dangerous. Rotenone, available in 1 per cent and 5 per cent concentrations, is most useful as a spray or dust against beetles and caterpillars that feed on leaves. It has been used successfully by farmers against Colorado potato beetles when the pests become resistant to all the government- approved synthetics. Vegetable gardeners use it to control aphids, asparagus beetles, bean leaf beetles, cucumber beetles, flea beetles, imported currant worms, raspberry cane borer, spittle bug and strawberry leaf beetle. In the stronger 5 per cent concentration, it also controls the birch leaf miner, blueberry maggot, codling moth, fire ant, grapeleaf skeletonizer, Japanese beetle, June beetle, leaf roller, leafhopper. pear psylla, and red spider mite. Uses: Rotenone is used in solution as a pesticide and insecticide, or in emulsified liquid form as a piscicide. In the United States and in Canada, all uses of rotenone except as a piscicide (fish killer) are being phased out. People catch fish by extracting rotenone from plants and releasing it into water. Poisoned fish come to the surface and are easily caught. This method was first practiced by various indigenous tribes who smashed the roots. Fish caught this way can be eaten because rotenone is very poorly absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract of humans, whereas it is lethal to fish because it readily enters the blood stream of the fish through the gills. Small-scale sampling with rotenone is used by fish researchers studying the biodiversity of marine fishes to collect cryptic, or hidden, fishes, which represent an important component of shoreline fish communities. Rotenone is the most effective tool available because only small quantities are necessary. It has only minor and transient environmental side-effects. Rotenone is also used in powdered form to reduce parasitic mites on chickens and other fowl.

Rotenone is sold as an organic pesticide dust for the garden. Unselective in action, it kills potato beetles, cucumber beetles, flea beetles, cabbage worms, raspberry bugs, and asparagus bugs, as well as most other arthropods. Rotenone rapidly bio-degrades under warm conditions so there is minimal harmful residue. A light dusting on the leaves of plants will control insects for several days. Use of Rotenone is controversial as it is not a selective piscicide (kills all species of fish), and in general is not able to kill 100% of the fish from a body of water, thus resulting in eventual return of the species targeted for killing.

RYANIA Ryania comes from the stems of a South American shrub. A stomach poison, it causes insects to stop feeding soon after they eat it. It seems to be most effectively used in hot weather. Ryania is moderately toxic, but considered relatively harmless to humans and other mammals. It is used commercially to control citrus thrips and codling moths on fruit trees, and European corn borers on corn. It is also reportedly effective on corn earworms, cabbage worms and some other garden pests. Ryania is hard to find in stores but is available from Gardens Alive alone or in combination with Rotenone and Pyrethrin. TOXICOLOGICAL EFFECTS ACUTE TOXICITY Ryania has a very low toxicity to mammals and is labeled with the CAUTION signal word. At high doses it affects muscles, preventing contractions and resulting in paralysis. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, weakness and diarrhea. Rigidity of the muscles and depression of the central nervous system can lead to a coma and to death. The rat oral LD50 is 1,200 mg/kg and guinea pigs have an oral LD50 of 2,500 mg/kg and rabbits have 650 mg/kg LD50. Dogs are much more susceptible with an LD50 of 150 mg/kg. The estimated lowest lethal dose for man is 143 mg/kg. The pure ryanodine alkaloid is 500 to 700 times more toxic than the crude powder. A 2-5 mg/kg dose of ryanodine elicited symptoms in the frog and mouse (The dermal LD50 for rats is above 2,000 mg/kg. No information is available on inhalation toxicity. CHRONIC TOXICITY

Rats and guinea pigs were fed diets containing 1% ryania powder for at least six months and showed no symptoms. Rats fed 5% diets had weight loss and some deaths within 25 days (4). Reproductive Effects No data was available.

Toxicity Large doses of ryania powder (around 1,500 mg/kg/day) in the diets of rats produced hemorrhages in the pancreas and intestines. It also produced lung complications in the test animals. Fate in Humans and Animals Single sublethal doses given directly into the vein produced slowly developing high blood pressure in experimental animals.Residues of 6 ppm on apples were harmless to laboratory animals. ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS Chickens fed for six months on diets of 1% ryania showed no symptoms and did not have any evidence of cumulative effects. Ryania is moderately toxic to birds and wildfowl. Some LD50 values include: wild birds 1.78 mg/kg; pigeons 2.31 mg/kg; and quail 13.3 mg/kg . It is considered moderately toxic to fish also. The 96-hour LC50 for rainbow trout is 3.2 mg/l and 18.5 mg/l for bluegill. ENVIRONMENTAL FATE The toxicologically active portion of ryania, ryanodine, is water soluble but stable during storage and stable upon exposure to light. Ryanodine is not considered to be poisonous to plants. The major degradation product of ryanodine is anhydroxyanodine

PYRETHRUM/PYRETHRINS

Pyrethrum is a broad-spectrum insecticidal powder made from the dried flowers of the CHYRSANTHEMEM CINERARIAEFOLIUM, commercial grown for the purpose in Kenya. Pyrethrins are the highly concentrated active compounds which are extracted from the daisy-like flower. Pyrethrin is a fast-acting poison which disrupts the nervous system and causes paralysis. In the garden, it is used for its fast-acting knockdown effect especially important when a particular insect invader is on the verge of destroying your crop. But many insects have the ability to metabolize Pyrethrin, and they can recover. When eaten, Pyrethrin is not particularly toxic to humans and other mammals, but the appropriate care and follow product directions when using Pyrethrum flea powder on cats. Among the advantages of Pyrethrin are its relative safety and its very low danger of residual environmental contamination. It breaks down very quickly from sunlight, moisture and oxygen. For garden use, fast-acting Pyrethrins are often combined with more lethal and longer lasting Rotenone and/or Ryania. Some Pyrethrin products also contain piperonyl butoxide. Organic gardeners should know that this is a synergist and its safety is still in doubt.