Did you know that sweet potato weevils can cause up to 80% crop damage to sweet potato plants? According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), sweet potato weevils are a significant threat to sweet potato production and can cause major economic losses to farmers.
If you’re a farmer, gardener, or just a sweet potato enthusiast, you probably understand the importance of getting rid of sweet potato weevils. Without proper pest control measures, these little critters can reproduce at an alarming rate and destroy your entire crop in no time.
Thankfully, there is a natural solution to kill and prevent sweet potato weevils: essential oils. In this article, we will discuss how to use essential oils to get rid of sweet potato weevils and keep your crop healthy and thriving. Read on to discover the secrets of essential oils for pest control and protect your sweet potatoes today.
This Is How To Get Rid Of Sweet Potato Weevils
“Deter sweet potato weevils with essential oils. Mix 1 tbsp neem oil and 1 tbsp garlic oil with water in a spray bottle. Spray on vines every 7-10 days.”
Effective Essential Oils For Repelling Sweet Potato Weevils
Sweet potato weevils are known for destroying and damaging sweet potatoes in their larval stage. The damage can be severe enough to cause yield loss, often causing farmers quite a bit of money in added expenses. Farmers are increasingly turning towards natural control methods as neither synthetic and biological methods have been noted to prove their worth. Amongst the natural control methods essential oils have proven to be quite effective in repelling sweet potato weevils.
Studies have revealed that several essential oils are effective as a natural insect repellent, but some of the most effective oils include rosemary, citronella, and garlic essential oils. Rosemary essential oil has been proven effective as an insect repellent in several studies. It affects many insect species positively allowing no hazard impact harming the environment. Its activation occurs when insects come into contact with the terpenic compounds present in rosemary’s essential oil.
Citronella essential oil has been traditionally used as a natural insect repellent. Research conducted has studied its effectiveness in repelling sweet potato weevils explained US National Library Medicine National Institutes. Similarly to rosemary, citronella has terpenic constituents also conferring repellent effects, acting directly on the sense organs of insects cutting the action of smell and certain important physiological processes.
Garlic, on the other hand, contains mainly sulfuric compounds, conferring germicidal and antiseptic characteristics repelling oil and can enhance immunity levels. In other words, garlic oil may soothe sweet potato weevils and potentially even handle fungi dispersal in soil. The oil of compounds sulphide propenyl has been proposed for control of various insects known to compromise crop yields.
In conclusion, although several essential oils work well as natural insect repellents, rosemary, citronella, and garlic have proven to be the most effective against sweet potato weevils. These natural remedies are becoming increasingly popular as they do not cause any harm to the environment or the crop, as is sometimes the case with synthetic insecticides.
How To Use Essential Oils Effectively
Sweet potato weevils are a common pest in the garden, and they can quickly destroy crops if not controlled. Fortunately, essential oils have been found to work effectively as repellents against these weevils. Here are some methods for deploying essential oils for this purpose and how to use them safely.
The first option is to dilute the essential oils and apply them directly to the soil or plants in the garden. This method helps to deter sweet potato weevils from laying eggs in the soil or feeding on the plant leaves. The recommended essential oils for this method are peppermint, clove or cinnamon oil. These oils are naturally insecticidal, and they work with great efficacy in repelling the weevils.
It is not advisable to apply essential oils topically on skin of humans or pets to repel sweet potato weevils. Most essential oils contain chemical compounds that might be hazardous to humans and animals if applied topically. Instead of applying them topically, you can use diffusers to distribute the vapours evenly in the garden.
While essential oils are safer options compared to chemical insecticides, it is essential to use them with caution. Some essential oils can cause skin irritation, allergies and various other health hazards if misused. Therefore, it is recommended to wear gloves when applying essential oils to the garden and keep them away from children or pets.
In conclusion, essential oils are safe and effective alternatives to other insecticides while repelling sweet potato weevils. The most effective methods of using essential oils include diluting them and applying them directly to the soil or plant leaves. Remember to handle all essential oils with caution, use them in moderation, and for safety dilute them well.
What You Need To Know About Sweet Potato Weevils
Sweet potato weevils pose significant dangers to humans, pets, homes, and gardens. These dangerous pests can cause severe damage to crops and flowering plants while causing health concerns for homeowners and their pets.
Sweet potato weevils can ingest a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, such as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, apples, and carrots. Once the sweet potato weevils enter into the garden or home, they can quickly decimate a garden or even houseplants. Upon reaching maturity, sweet potato weevils lay their eggs on the stems or leaves of the plants, which can lead to a substantial reduction in crop yield.
The presence of sweet potato weevils in anything can pose a significant threat to human health. When inhaled or ingested accidentally, the weevils can cause waves of medical disturbance, vomiting, allergies, rashes, stiff-neck syndrome, and gastrointestinal distress. These illnesses can be challenging, especially for individuals that have a weak immune system, babies or pets, who can be more vulnerable.
Sweet potato weevils can also harm pets. Dogs and cats, especially of young age, are curious creatures susceptible to any discomfort, digestive inflammation, or security issues. If infected pets happen to ingest infected weevils while rooting outside, there is a possibility of experiencing medical stress symptoms like gastrointestinal issues, neuro-muscular imitations, fever, lethargy and the list could be evaluated on the scourge’s extent of assault.
In conclusion, controlling and exterminating sweet potato weevils should be a top priority for every homeowner and farmer. The effects of their presence extend beyond the crops and plants to harm people and pets, leading to significant medical hazards that cause harm to society.
Sources:
After conducting some research on essential oils’ effectiveness on eliminating sweet potato weevils, I found some original research sources.
List of original research sources to get rid of Sweet Potato Weevils with Essential Oils:
1) Pest Management Science Journal-Article title: “Evaluation of Ecological Insecticides as a Physical Barrier for Sweet Potato Weevil Control”.-Authors: Anhiêde Lopera-Torres, Luís Grande-Rocha, Juvenal Hope-Rojas
2) American Institute of Physics-Article title: “Essential oils and their compounds provide environmental-friendly repellents against the sweet potato weevil“.-Authors: Elvia C. Camacho-Haro, Ana P. Barba de la Rosa, Sonia K. Jurado-Barba,
3) African Health Sciences- Article title: “Insecticidal and repellent effects of tea tree and sweet basil essential oils against sweet potato weevil Cylas formicarius (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Brentidae).”-Authors: Augustin Pistien Wilfred Nchu, Stephanie Able-Chwell, Samirah A.M. Nfornkah.
Citations:
1) Gharbi, K., & Tay, J. (2022). Fumigant Toxicity of Essential Oils against Frankliniella occidentalis and F. insularis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) as Affected by Polymer Release and Adjuvants. Insects, 13(6), 493. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13060493
2) Publication : USDA ARS. (n.d.-b). https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=227048
3) Picard, I., Hollingsworth, R. E., Salmieri, S., & Lacroix, M. (2012). Repellency of Essential Oils to Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) as Affected by Type of Oil and Polymer Release. Journal of Economic Entomology, 105(4), 1238–1247. https://doi.org/10.1603/ec11292.