Aloe Vera Peels: An Eco-Friendly Natural Insecticide
Key Highlights :
Aloe barbadensis, commonly known as aloe vera, has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments, promote digestive health, and heal wounds. However, while aloe vera gel is in high demand, the peels are typically discarded as agricultural waste. Scientists have recently discovered that these peels, or rinds, can act as a natural insecticide, deterring insects from feasting on crops. By recycling the peels, farmers can create a sustainable and eco-friendly insecticide, while also generating additional revenue streams for aloe vera producers.
Debasish Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D., the project's principal investigator, first became interested in the potential use of aloe rinds as an insecticide when he and a colleague visited a local aloe vera production center. He noticed that insects had left the aloe leaves alone, despite attacking the leaves of other plants. To investigate the potential insecticidal properties of the aloe vera peels, Bandyopadhyay and colleagues from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley dried out the peels and produced various extracts from the peels with hexane, dichloromethane (DCM), methanol, and water.
The DCM extract showed much higher insecticidal activity against agricultural pests than the hexane extract, so the researchers analyzed it further. Using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, the research team identified over 20 compounds in the aloe vera rinds, many of which had antibacterial, antifungal, or other potential health benefits. Among these compounds were six that are known to have insecticidal properties, including octacosanol, subenniatin B, dinoterb, arjungenin, nonadecanone, and quillaic acid.
The researchers are currently testing how well the compounds work in real-world fields against agricultural pests. Additionally, Bandyopadhyay is exploring if these compounds have anti-mosquito and anti-tick properties, which could lead to the development of an insect repellant for consumer use.
By recycling aloe peels, farmers can create a natural insecticide that avoids hazardous and poisonous synthetic chemicals, helping to make aloe production greener and more sustainable. This eco-friendly approach could also help to reduce the amount of agricultural waste released into the atmosphere, contributing to global climate change.
Overall, the findings of this study demonstrate the potential of aloe vera peels as an eco-friendly natural insecticide. By utilizing these peels, farmers can help to protect their crops from insects, while also creating additional revenue streams for aloe vera producers.
