Pesticide Plants: Diversity and Use in Crop Protection in a Southern Mediterranean Area: Case Study of Chlef in North-West Algeria

Abstract

In order to identify the pesticidal plants present in the region of Chlef northwest Algeria, monthly surveys were conducted over a period of 1 year in three distinct area (coastal zone, plain zone and mountain zone), as a result 47 plant species distributed over 21 different botanical families were identified as biopesticides. The most represented families were the Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Apiaceae and Cupressaceae. While in terms of plant life form, the most dominant forms were the Therophyte and Hemicryptophytes. For most of the identified species the toxic molecules were largely located in the leaves and flowers. It was also observed that forested areas were characterized by a limited number of pesticidal plants with a higher coverage rate, while the opposite is true in fallow lands and scrublands.