Plant secondary metabolites as alternatives in pest management. II: An overview of their potential in Cuba

Abstract

This review covers the historical use of plant secondary metabolites in agricultural practices in Cuba and their potential in pest management. The Cuban flora has not yet been fully studied as a source of pesticides, partly due to its great diversity. Nevertheless, up to date, several plants are used by Cuban farmers as repellents and/or as raw material for the preparation of botanical pesticides in an artisan manner, and more than 60 plants have demonstrated their pesticidal activity under laboratory, semicontrolled and field conditions. Meliaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Solanaceae, Clusiaceae, Piperaceae, Lamiaceae, Apiaceae, and Mirtaceae are among the most important involved plant families. From the chemical point of view, promising results have been achieved
with alkaloids, terpenoids, coumarins and essential oils. The efficient practical application of pesticidal properties
of plants in crop rotation, polycrops, and intercropping, and as barrier or traps requires further research from the
chemical ecology point of view. As botanical pesticides, plant secondary metabolites may be applied in protected
crops, nurseries, seed treatments in protected and field-grown crops, storage pest management among others.
Innovative products can be developed by using them in mixtures with other phytosanitary products and as resistance
inducers. The use of known botanicals and the identification of local candidates for developing new products offer alternatives that may combine efficiency and safety for the Cuban agriculture in pest management. Multidisciplinary and multiinstitucional research-development, and innovation programmes will play an important role in the increase of the scientific and socioeconomic impact of these phytosanitary products for contributing to a sustainable food production.