Potential of Mangrove Apples (Sonneratia alba) as a Botanical Insecticide

Abstract

This study aims to determine the potential of mangrove apple extract (Sonneratia alba) as a botanical insecticide. Tests were conducted to observe the bioactivity of mangrove apple extract and phytochemical tests were conducted in order to see the content of bioactive compounds. The test results showed that the mortality rate of test larva (Nezara viridula) reached 98%, while the phytochemical test showed that the mangrove fruit contains phytotoxin compounds that can affect the behavior and even kill the test larvae. The compounds found are flavonoids, triterpenoids, alkaloids, tannins, steroids, phenolics, and saponins. The influence of flavonoid compounds is strong enough to attract insects.