Nekate application: an innovative and sustainable solution for controlling Spodoptera frugiperda larvae in modern agriculture
Abstract
The insecticidal and acaricidal effects of applying NEKATE (an extract of neem leaves, cinnamon, garlic, chili, green tea, nettle, thyme, and oregano) are used as a sustainable alternative to synthetic insecticides for controlling Spodoptera frugiperda. These are the safest and most environmentally friendly pest control methods. NEKATE is emerging as a promising alternative for managing Spodoptera frugiperda, a highly destructive pest that causes significant economic losses in agriculture. This species has also developed a notable resistance to conventional insecticides, making it difficult to manage within integrated pest management programs. The importance of NEKATE lies in the presence of azadirachtin, its main active compound, recognized for its insecticidal, repellent, and insect growth-regulating properties. The present study aimed to evaluate the extract’s efficacy on S. frugiperda larvae. The methodology included larval collection, preparation of the aqueous extract, phytochemical characterization through preliminary screening, and evaluation of insecticidal efficacy using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) detection. The results indicated that treatment T1, corresponding to a 75% aqueous extract concentration, achieved the highest efficacy, with 66.67% larval mortality at 80 hours post-treatment. In comparison, treatments T2 (50%) and T3 (25%) had significantly lower mortality rates, at 24.7% and 11.13%, respectively. These findings suggest that
high concentrations of the extract could constitute an effective and sustainable tool for managing S.
frugiperda, thus reducing dependence on synthetic insecticides.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Luis Cagua-Montaño, Betty Pazmiño-Gómez, Milena Acosta Farías, Alfonso Jiménez-Gurumendi, Malavé Reyes, Valeria Orozco-Siranaula, Job Andrade-Ávila
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