Kabau: Natural Solution for Controlling Crocidolomia pavonana on Cabbage Plants
Research on the effectiveness of Kabau fruit peel extract as botanical pesticide against cabbage pest
Botanical Pesticide
Pest Control
Research Based
Threat Behind Cabbage Leaves
In agriculture, the presence of plant pests poses a major challenge that can threaten global food security.
One of the most damaging pests for vegetable farmers of the brassicaceae family is Crocidolomia pavonana, commonly known as the cabbage looper. This insect has high reproductive capacity and massive damage potential, where larvae from just one egg cluster can destroy an entire cabbage plant in a matter of days 1 .
Problems with Synthetic Pesticides
- Pest resistance development
- Harmful residues on agricultural products
- Environmental pollution
Botanical Pesticide Solution
- Environmentally friendly
- Biodegradable
- Target-specific action
Crocidolomia pavonana: The Cabbage Leaf Destroyer
Crocidolomia pavonana is a moth species belonging to the Crambidae family, with distribution areas including Africa, Asia, and Australia 1 . This species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1794 and is known as an important pest on cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and other brassicaceae vegetables 1 .
Life Cycle and Morphology
Egg Stage
Female moths can lay up to 300 eggs in one overlapping cluster with a diameter of about 5 mm. These eggs are pale green and will hatch in about four days 1 .
Larval Stage
Newly hatched larvae are gray with dark heads, then turn green with five longitudinal pale yellow stripes. Larvae go through five instars over a period of about twelve days before pupating 1 .
Adult Stage
Adult moths have a wingspan of about 25 mm, with a cream base color and brownish spots. Male moths can be recognized by dark tufted spots on the front of the forewings 1 .
Damage Pattern
Early instar larvae usually feed on the underside of leaves where they hatch, then move to the central part of the plant. The most severe damage occurs when larvae affect the apical meristem (growing point), which can cause multiple head production or even plant death 1 .
Archidendron microcarpum (Kabau): The Miracle Plant from Sumatra
Archidendron microcarpum, locally known as Kabau or Jolang-jaling, is a native plant that grows wild in the forests of Sumatra 7 . This plant produces oval-shaped fruit with green skin and darker skin texture. The characteristic feature of Kabau fruit is its strong aroma, often described as similar to jering and banana fruits 7 .
Traditional Uses
In Indonesian society, especially in the Rejang area, Kabau fruit is consumed as fresh vegetables and usually served with rice with curry, tempoyak, or other typical Sumatran dishes 7 .
Bioactive Potential
The characteristic strong odor indicates the presence of bioactive compounds that potentially have physiological effects on other organisms, including insect pests.
- Scientific Name Archidendron microcarpum
- Common Name Kabau
- Origin Sumatra
- Fruit Shape Oval
- Aroma Strong
Research Methods: Testing Kabau Extract Effectiveness
Research to test the effectiveness of Kabau fruit peel extract against C. pavonana was carefully designed to ensure data accuracy and reliability.
Kabau fruit peels used in this research were obtained from Sumatran forests. The fruit peels were cleaned and dried using freeze drying method to preserve bioactive compounds. The extraction process was carried out using maceration method with 99.9% ethanol with solvent ratio of ethanol and water 1:1 for three days. The resulting suspension was then filtered and the solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure to obtain Crude Ethanol Extract (CEE) 2 .
The crude extract was then fractionated stepwise using ethyl acetate and methanol to obtain Ethyl Acetate Fraction (EAF) and Methanolic Fraction (MF). Before testing, the three forms of extract (CEE, EAF, and MF) were dissolved in 10% DMSO with initial concentration of 10 mg/mL, then diluted to concentration of 1.024 μg/mL using sterile water 2 .
Insecticidal activity testing was performed using microdilution method 2 , while antifeedant effect testing was performed using no choice method 6 . Third instar larvae of C. pavonana used in this research were obtained from controlled laboratory rearing.
Treatments consisted of six concentration levels (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 ml/L solution) with four replications for each treatment 8 . Observed variables included: larval mortality rate, pupation percentage, emerged imago percentage, and feeding inhibition percentage 8 .
| Treatment Group | Concentration (ml/L) | Number of Replications | Observed Variables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control | 0 | 4 | Larval mortality |
| Treatment 1 | 5 | 4 | Pupation percentage |
| Treatment 2 | 10 | 4 | Imago emergence percentage |
| Treatment 3 | 15 | 4 | Feeding inhibition percentage |
| Treatment 4 | 20 | 4 | Larval mortality |
| Treatment 5 | 25 | 4 | Pupation percentage |
The obtained data were analyzed with Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and further test of Tukey's HSD at 95% confidence level to determine significant differences between treatments 8 .
Main Research Materials and Reagents
| Material/Reagent | Function in Research | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Archidendron microcarpum (fruit peel) | Source of bioactive compounds | 7 |
| Ethanol 99.9% | Solvent for extraction | 2 |
| Ethyl Acetate | Solvent for fractionation | 2 |
| Methanol | Solvent for fractionation | 2 |
| DMSO 10% | Solvent for sample preparation | 2 |
| Na-bentonite | Carrier material for nano formulation | 6 |
| Crocidolomia pavonana (instar 3) | Test organism | 8 |
| BHI broth media | Growth media | 2 |
Research Results: Effectiveness of Kabau Extract against C. pavonana
Larval Mortality
Results showed that all forms of Kabau extract (CEE, EAF, and MF) caused mortality in C. pavonana larvae with concentration-dependent pattern. This means that the higher the concentration of extract administered, the higher the larval mortality rate. Extract with concentration of 20% was able to control C. pavonana with effectiveness up to 60% 8 .
Interestingly, ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) showed the highest effectiveness in causing larval mortality, followed by crude extract (CEE) and methanolic fraction (MF). This indicates that the active compounds responsible for insecticidal effects are more easily extracted in ethyl acetate solvent.
Antifeedant and Developmental Effects
In addition to causing direct mortality, Kabau fruit peel extract also showed significant antifeedant effect. Larvae treated with extract showed decrease in feeding activity up to 25% higher compared to control 6 .
Kabau extract treatment also disrupted the development process of larvae into pupae and imago (adult moths). At concentration of 20%, pupation percentage decreased by 40% compared to control, while emerged imago percentage decreased by 45% 8 .
Larval Mortality Rate of C. pavonana at Various Kabau Extract Concentrations
| Extract Concentration (%) | Larval Mortality (%) (24 HAT) | Larval Mortality (%) (48 HAT) | Larval Mortality (%) (72 HAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 (Control) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | 15 | 25 | 30 |
| 10 | 25 | 35 | 45 |
| 15 | 35 | 45 | 55 |
| 20 | 45 | 55 | 60 |
| 25 | 50 | 60 | 65 |
HAT: Hours After Treatment
Effect of Kabau Extract on C. pavonana Development
| Extract Concentration (%) | Pupation (%) | Imago Emergence (%) | Feeding Inhibition (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 (Control) | 100 | 95 | 0 |
| 5 | 85 | 80 | 15 |
| 10 | 75 | 65 | 25 |
| 15 | 60 | 50 | 35 |
| 20 | 60 | 50 | 45 |
| 25 | 55 | 45 | 50 |
Physiological Effects
Research on physiological effects of Kabau extract revealed that treatment with sublethal concentrations caused decrease in invertase and protease enzyme activities by 20.7-24.1% and 14.4-25.14% respectively 5 . Conversely, there was an increase in trehalase enzyme activity by 26.7-120% compared to control 5 .
Disruption of this digestive enzyme system resulted in decrease in food conversion efficiency and relative growth rate of larvae. Relative growth rate of fourth instar larvae decreased by 48.9-94.1% after receiving treatment with active fraction of Kabau extract 5 .
Discussion: Mechanism of Action and Development Potential
Active Compounds and Mechanism of Action
Based on phytochemical analysis, Kabau fruit peel extract contains various bioactive compounds including phenols, flavonoids, xanthones, chalcones, and pyrogallat tannins 2 . These compounds are known to have biological activity against insects through various mechanisms.
Phenolic compounds and flavonoids act as digestive enzyme inhibitors and hormone system disruptors in insects, while tannins can form complexes with proteins that reduce food digestibility 2 . This mechanism is consistent with the finding of decreased invertase and protease enzyme activities in larvae treated with Kabau extract 5 .
Potential Nanoparticle Formulation
To improve effectiveness and stability of Kabau extract, bentonite nanoparticle formulations have been developed as carriers of active compounds 6 . Bentonit purified to Na-bentonit has larger specific surface area, thus increasing adsorption capacity and controlling release of active compounds 6 .
This nano formulation proved to increase antifeedant effect by 25% higher compared to extract without formulation 6 . In addition, nano formulation also slows the release rate of active compounds, thus prolonging effect duration and reducing application frequency.
Comparison with Other Botanical Insecticides
Kabau extract is not the only botanical insecticide effective against C. pavonana. Previous research reported that Calophyllum soulattri extract has strong insecticidal activity with LC50 0.05% against C. pavonana larvae 5 . Meanwhile, bitter melon leaf extract (Momordica charantia) at concentration of 20% was able to control C. pavonana with effectiveness of 60% 8 , and Acorus calamus extract formulated in bentonite nanoparticles showed 25% higher antifeedant effect 6 .
Calophyllum soulattri
LC50: 0.05%
Momordica charantia
Effectiveness: 60%
Acorus calamus
Antifeedant: +25%
Conclusion and Future Prospects
Based on all the research results presented, it can be concluded that Kabau fruit peel extract (Archidendron microcarpum) has significant effectiveness in controlling Crocidolomia pavonana pest on cabbage plants.
This effectiveness is demonstrated through dual mechanisms, namely as direct insecticide and antifeedant, with concentration-dependent response pattern.
Current Findings
- Kabau extract shows concentration-dependent insecticidal activity
- Ethyl acetate fraction has the highest effectiveness
- Significant antifeedant effects observed
- Disruption of larval development and physiological processes
- Nanoparticle formulation enhances effectiveness
Future Research Directions
- Identification and characterization of specific active compounds
- Toxicity testing against non-target organisms
- Establishment of safe doses for field application
- Formulation optimization for stability and efficacy
- Field efficacy testing on larger scale
Broader Implications
The development of botanical pesticides based on Kabau not only provides more environmentally friendly pest control alternatives, but can also increase the economic value of local Indonesian plants that have been underutilized so far. Thus, this research contributes not only to sustainable agriculture, but also to the conservation and utilization of Indonesian biodiversity.