SABADILLA – Schoennocaulon officinale

General

Sabadilla is a perennial, 50 cm tall, lily-like plant which originated in Venezuela, Colombia and Mexico (116). The parts wich insecticidal properrties are maily the spikes with immature capsule of seeds (4).

Effective Range

Contact- and stomach poison (116).

Inseticidal, repellent, rodenticidal (4,52).

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Target insecte

Aphids                          - general                       (4)

Armyworm          - Spodoptera abyssina         (52)

Armyworm          - Spodoptera eridania (52)

Avocado lace bug       - Ancysta perseae       (71)

Cabbage looper          - Trichoplusia ni           (52)

Cockroaches               - general                       (52)

European corn borer   - Ostrinia nubilalis        (52)

Flea beetles                 - general                       (4)

Gras hoppers              - general                       (4)

Green stink bug           - Acrosternum hilaris   (71)           

Hairy chinch bug          - Blissus hirtus             (

Leaf bug             - Leptoglossus australis       (4)

Leaf eating caterpillars         - general                       (4)

Melon worm                 - Diaphania hyalinata   (52)

Potato jassid                - Empoasca fabae       (71)

Silkworm             - Bombix mori              (4)

Stinkbug              - Bagrada spp.             (4)

Thrips                           - general                       (71)

Sabadilla has not proved to be effective against:

Dock aphid                   - Aphis 

Peach aphid                 - Myzus persicae

Spittle bug          - Philaenus leucophthalmus

Remarks

*In contrast to freshly pulverised sabadilla seeds, seeds which have been pulverised for a longer period have a greater insecticidal action. Trials show that the toxicity of a kerosene extract increases with the passage of time, but is must be stored in the dark. There it will remain stable for 1-2 years. Light reduces the effectiveness rapidly (4).

*At room temperature freshy- powdered sabadilla seeds were no effective. By raising temperature of the extractive, however, all inactive samples became potentially toxic. Temperature levels below 75°C caused the initial increase in toxicity, the optimum temperature being 150°C. This temperature appared most favourable for making available the toxic constituents of sabadilla in kerosene.

*Sabadilla preparations are extremely toxic to honey bees.

Methods of Use

*A highly toxic preparation can be made by heating 500 gm      seed in 4 litres of kerosene for 1 hour at a temperature  of 150°C. Heating increases the effectivity (133).

*The toxicity of the powdered seeds is also raised when they are heated whithout the addition of other substances (133).

*The application of heat to the powdered seed and treatment of the powdered seed with soda ash prior to extraction also increased the toxicity of inactive compounds to a considerable degree. When using the combinaison of both soda ash  treatment and heat treatment a temperature of 60°C is sufficient to produce an effective  (4). Lime and wood ash could also be tried to alkalize the solution (59).

*Good results were obtained with aqueous extracts of sabadilla pretreated with soda-ash against grasshoppers and othrer insects. An extract description of quantities and effectiveness against specific pests was not given (4).

*A  20% sabadilla powder effectively reduced the population of potato jassids (Empoasca fabae). Thrips were only       reduced (71).

*A 10% sabadilla powder diluted with talc and used at the rate of 120 kg per hectare produced a more than 90% reduction of hairy chinch bugs (Blissus hirtus) (46).

*Sabadilla powder in combinaison with derris dust successfully controlled cabbage worms and tent caterpillars and was particulary effective against Tephroclystia absinthista (4).