Pesticidal Plants Used in Masaka District of Uganda
Abstract
The use of syntheti c pesti cides in developing countries is limited by both the high cost of procuring
them and predominance of subsistence holdings. Resultantly, many farmers have to rely on traditi onal
methods of pest control. Among these is the use of pesti cidal plant extracts and this paper reports
on the fi ndings of a study that undertook to compile an inventory of plants that are used in pest
control in one part of the developing world, namely, Masaka District of Uganda. The paper reports
that the study found that thirty-six (36) plant species are used. Thirty-fi ve (3 ) of these were found to
belong to twenty-one (21) families. The paper adds that, of these, the Asteraceae family is the most
commonly used followed by the Solanaceae family. It was noted that although some of the plants
are scienti fi cally well established (e.g. Azadirachta indica, Melia azedarach, and Tagetes minuta),
a few are not well known (e.g. Euphorbia ti rucalli, Bidens pilosa, Vernonia amygdalina), hence the
need for research on them. Finally, it was established that some of the plants are increasingly rare,
which highlights need for their conservati on.
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