Use of Tobacco Leaf Extract to Control Aphids in Legumes

Mosura et al. (PSPC) found tobacco leaf extract effective against aphids (Aphis chaccivora Koch) on bush sitao and mungbean. The extract reduced aphid population in bush sitao by 61-77% in two cropping seasons in Iloilo and Capiz. This was more than the effect of chemical pesticides which had a reduction rate of 36% to 65%. Consequently, damage rate was low and fresh yields of bush sitao ranged from 878 to 1300 kg/ha.

Tobacco leaf extract also effectively reduced the aphid population on mugbean by 42%. This performance was comparable with that of the chemical pesticides’ reduction (48%). Plants treated with tobacco leaf extract yielded 574 to 694 kg, while those sprayed with insecticides gave 526 to 659 kg/ha.

The use of tobacco leaf extract reduced the cost of production by P110 in bush sitao and P220 in mungbean. However, chemically treated bush sitao gave the highest income of P36,792 after deducting the cost of crop protection measures. For mungbean, an income of P8,146 from plants applied with the tobacco leaf extract was higher than the income of P6,662 from chemically treated plants.

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