Revisión de estudios científicos relacionados con extractos botánicos aplicados a plagas y enfermedades en plantas del Ecuador.

Abstract

The objective of this graduation work was to carry out an analysis of scientific studies related to botanical extracts applied to pests and diseases made in Ecuador, through the information available in recognized databases at national and international level. Determining the amount, quality, and current situation of this area of knowledge, it was posible to identify 31 articles (14 national and 17 international), with a total of 420 assessments with extracts. The publications presented comparative data on the effectiveness of the botanical extract in the field and the laboratory. A certain percentage of information is in an average condition of quality in the absence of a taxonomic validation and phytochemistry characterization of compounds, which hinders to make comparisons with current and future research in Ecuador. Proof of this are the pathologies associated with the anatomical and physiological disorders of the tissues. The findings of studies published on this topic made in Ecuador have never been synthesized quantitatively. Here a classical review was applied for studies of plant extracts to control pests and diseases and a meta-analysis to synthesize the literature on botanical extracts that are focused on insect control. 18 studies were obtained that met the parameters required to carry out the comparison through the meta-analysis. Both treatments with extracts and with positive controls showed a high variability in population density of the insect when it is subjected to control. In order to avoid publication bias those investigations that have not been published in database of excellence were included. The heterogeneity in the results exhibits a I2 of 95 % indicating that researchers apply a treatment without following a standard protocol, eventually this leads to get unreliable results, that is the reason why the dispersion is evident in this report.