Wild-Local Species for Insect-Pest Control - 3rd Edition
The Himalayan region holds a vast repository of wild flora with untapped potential for agricultural innovation. Among these, Lantana camara known locally as Gandhari, Phulnoo, or Ghaneri is a hardy and highly adaptable plant species growing abundantly in the mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh.
This third report, Identification of Wild and Locally Available Plant Biomass Species for Insect-Pest Control, focuses on the West Indian variant of Lantana camara . The plant, though originally native to Central and South America, has naturalized across Indian ecosystems,particularly thriving in disturbed or open forest margins, farm boundaries, and fallow lands.
While often categorized as invasive, Lantana camara is increasingly being recognized for its complex chemistry and natural insect-pest control properties.
Lantana’s year-round availability, aromatic flowers, and dense regenerative foliage make it a viable candidate for biomass-based insect-pest management.
Phytochemical Composition and Biopesticidal Activity
Terpenoids (Monoterpenes and Sesquiterpenes)
These volatile compounds dominate Lantana camara’s essential oil profile and are concentrated in its leaves and flowers. They exhibit strong insecticidal, larvicidal, antifungal, and nematicidal activity. The oils have also been reported to repel mosquitoes, cockroaches, and storage pests like Tribolium castaneum.Triterpenoids (e.g., Oleanolic Acid)
Found throughout the plant but particularly abundant in roots and stems, oleanolic acid offers broad-spectrum antimicrobial and pesticidal effects. Its presence contributes to Lantana’s ability to deter pest colonization and interfere with insect physiology.Iridoid Glycosides (e.g., Shanzhside Methyl Ester, Geniposide 8-epiloganin)
These glycosides are primarily extracted from the root essential oil and are under active investigation for their larvicidal and neuro-modulatory roles in pest control.Phenolics and Flavonoids
Flavonoids like luteolin, and phenolic acids such as caffeic acid, provide antioxidant, allelopathic, and antimicrobial actions. These compounds may disrupt feeding, interfere with insect enzyme systems, and enhance plant immunity.Allelochemicals
Gandhari exhibits strong allelopathic effects, inhibiting the germination and growth of competing vegetation and possibly pest-host weeds. These compounds, including specific phenolics and sesquiterpenes, also show indirect pest suppression by altering the soil microenvironment and deterring herbivory.
Target Pest Range and Application Potential
Laboratory and field evidence suggests that Lantana camara Gandhari extracts are effective against a diverse group of economically significant pests:
Lepidoptera: Spodoptera frugiperda (Fall Armyworm), Chilo suppressalis (Rice Stem Borer)
Coleoptera: Callosobruchus maculatus (Cowpea Weevil)
Diptera: Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus (Mosquito larvae)
Hemiptera: Myzus persicae (Aphids), Bemisia tabaci (Whiteflies)
Nematodes: Meloidogyne spp. (Root-knot nematodes)
Acarina: Oligonychus afrasiaticus (Date Palm Mite)
These effects are most pronounced when essential oils are extracted using cold-press or solvent-assisted techniques, with leaves showing the highest efficacy.
Once the sufficient number of holds have been created and the Aadoo placed, a quick forceful sledgehammer is brought down with just he perfect effort to smash the rock into the pieces of choice.
Upon observing I found this to be ‘too easy’, but hurt hands using the Taaki and a dangerous handling of the Sledgehammer sent the Aadoo flying out of its hold worrying other workers. I only found it the hard way that this skill is aquired by working with the stone masons. To an economist it may appear to be inefficient to use manual labour, but it is easy to forgo sustainability as a tradeoff. Consider that a pneumatic drill may result in ‘quicker’ material availability, but it is expensive to use and maintain. Then there is a constant community engagement between the blacksmith and masons, which is forgone in case of Factory based commercial purchases.
Practical Integration and Recommendations
Lantana camara Gandhari can be utilized in multiple formats:
As a fermented decoction or essential oil spray for field crops
In intercropping systems to deter pests naturally
As biomass mulch to suppress soil-borne pathogens and invasive weeds
For live fencing to reduce insect ingress on boundaries
Its multipurpose utility also extends to use in rural furniture-making, demonstrating value-added economic potential if managed responsibly.