Annona squamosa L. AS A POTENTIAL NATURAL BOTANICAL PESTICIDE AND ITS FUTURISTIC RESEARCH SCOPE: A REVIEW

The Annona squamosa L is a plant which is mostly cultivated in tropical countries as a fruit crop. Its plant parts are a huge source for the development of natural pesticides, and its seeds, are of several traditional uses. Pesticides are an essential component of agriculture-related businesses that are very vital for the economic growth and development of nations, India whose economy is heavily dependent on agriculture. The oil extracted from these seeds using organic solvents like hexane and methanol is analyzed for its constituents that have attributes of pesticide. At present, commonly used synthetic pesticides are maldison (malathion), dimethoate, and methylated spirits. Most of these are organophosphate insecticides, which act as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and disrupt the nerve signal transmission among the vast majority of pests. Though it is a rich source of botanical pesticides, commercializing them is still a challenge. Recently, efforts are made towards the application of nano pesticides in agriculture. Not much information is available in this area and it is wide open to generate relevant knowledge of producing nano pesticides from A. squamosa. In this review, the eco-friendly nature, effectiveness of bio-pesticide, and its future research scope are being reviewed which are extracted from A. squamosa.