Aromatic plants and their essential oils: state knowledge and their use in fall armyworm management in western Burkina Faso

connaissances et utilisations des huiles essentielles dans la lutte contre la chenille légionnaire d’automne

Abstract

The fall armyworm is an economically important insect pest in Burkina Faso. It could be controlled by the essential oils of several aromatic plants, which have shown their effectiveness in the laboratory. However, their adoption by farmers requires a sociological approach, given the lack of data on their knowledge in rural areas. A survey was conducted in twenty (20) villages located in Hauts-Bassins and Cascades regions in western Burkina Faso. In these villages, individual interviews were conducted with 680 farmers on Hyptis suaveolens Poit, Lippia alba Mill, Ocimum canum Sims. and Ocimum basilicum L. and their essential oils. The species O. canum (97.79% of farmers) and H. suaveolens (96.62% of farmers) are the best known, unlike O. basilicum (5.59% of farmers). Essential oils are recognized by only 0.1% of farmers, with a complete lack of awareness among women. Among farmers who are familiar with essential oils, none use them in the fight against insect pests. Aromatic plants are rarely used in the fight against fall armyworm, and essential oils remain marginalized. Appropriate technology transfer, training and awareness-raising are crucial if these ecological solutions are to be  integrated into local agricultural practices.