Natural crop protection
in the Tropics

by Gaby Stroll , 1986 , Copyright Margraf Publishers Scientific Books

GARLIC – Allium sativum

General

Garlic is a cosmopolitan plant which grows in temperate zones as well as in the tropics and subtropics. It probably aroginated in Central Asia whence spread to the Mediterranean, around whose shores it still finds its greatest use in the kitchen.

It is much cultivated  and easy to grow in field, garden or backyard. For use as an insecticide it should not be grown with mineral fertilizers since it has been established that heavy doses of fertilizers reduce the concetration of effective substances.

Effecitve Range

Insectidical , repellent , antifeedant, bactericidal , fungicidal , nematocidal and effective against ticks.

Trouver une photo de Allium sativum

Target Organisms

Aphids                                                               - general

Army worms                                                      - Spodoptera litura

Colorado Beetle                                      - Leptinotarsa decemlineata

False coding moth                                            - Cryptophlebia leucotreta

Kharpa beetle                                                    - Trogoderma granarium

Mexican bean beetle                                        - Epilachna varivestis

Inported cabbage worm                                   - Pierris rapae

Wire worms                                                       - general

Garlic has also been found to be effective against fungus such as mildew and beanrust.

Remarks

                   Some gardeners in Germany have long made garlic solution in water to use against pest. According tothem it should be applied immediatly after the preparation so that the volatile oil do not escape into the atmosphere before to exerttheir effects on plants (ILLMANN, pers.comm.)

                   Laboratory trials indicated that an extract of garlic reduced feeding by older larvae less than by younger larvae.

Methods of Use

100 g garlic cloves, 0.5 litres of water , 10 gm soap , 2 tea spoons mineral oil.

Steep the finely  grated garlic for 24 hours inthe mineral oil. Dissolve the soap in the water , mix the infusion of garlic and mineral oil, stir well together and filter through a fine cloth. Before use this solution is dluted with 20 parts of water. It is effective against the most commom pests , but different strengths should be experimented with regarding specific insects.

Steep 3 finely grounded garlic bulbs for 2 days in liquid parafin and then stir well with a large spoonful of soap flakes and 10 litre of water. This preparation is effective against wide range of insect pest.

The following preaparation is successful against caterpillars in fruit trees :

2 finely grated garlic bulbs and two spoon chillipeppers are stirred into 4 litres of hot water in which a nut sized piece of soap has been dissolved.

© Seed to seed - sept 2001