Background: Contemporary agriculture heavily relies on synthetic chemicals to ensure high yields and food security; however, their overuse has led to health issues and the development of pesticide resistance in pests. Researchers are now exploring natural, eco-friendly alternatives for pest control. Methods: This study evaluated two ethanol-based formulations (1.25% and 2.50%, v/v) derived from the tangerine peel (Citrus reticulata L. var. Clementina) against conventional chemical treatments and an untreated control group in the cultivation of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L. var. Capiro). A randomised block design was used, with three blocks per treatment containing 45 plants. The experiment was conducted during the wet season (February–April 2023). Results: According to visual inspections and yellow traps, following weekly application from days 30 to 105 post-planting to monitor pest (e.g., Frankliniella occidentalis, Aphididae) and beneficial insect (e.g., Coccinellidae, Apis mellifera) populations, the 2.50% formulation performed similarly to chemical treatments against pests, whilst being harmless to beneficial insects. Post-harvest analysis showed that the formulations achieved 73% of conventional yields, with comparable tuber damage and levels of Premnotrypes vorax larvae. Conclusions: Toxicological tests confirmed the eco-friendliness of the formulations, making them suitable for small-scale Andean ‘chakras’ in organic farming and honey production, without the use of chemicals.

The strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) faces sustainable production challenges due to its high susceptibility to pathogens like Botrytis cinerea. This research aimed to evaluate the inhibitory potential of eucalypt (Eucalyptus globulus) and Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum) extracts under in vitro and in vivo conditions in controlling B. cinerea. The in vitro mycelial inhibition of the extracts was evaluated by the diameter and the mycelial growth rate of the fungus for 5 d, with the application of low (5.6 μl ml-1), medium (11.1 μl ml-1), and high (16.7 μl ml-1) concentrations of extracts. The antifungal activity of the extracts on the fruits was determined by quantifying the incidence and rate of decay in inoculated strawberries after 5 d of storage. The in vitro evaluation showed that the high concentration of the A. fistulosum extract was more efficient in controlling the mycelial growth of B. cinerea, showing averages of 31.66% inhibition, 68.33% mycelial growth rate, and 11.92 mm d-1 mycelial growth velocity, different (P≤0.05) in comparison to the other concentrations. The in vivo tests showed that the E. globulus extract had the lowest incidence on the fruits, with 81.11%, reduced fruit decomposition by 19% compared to the positive control, and evidenced the highest number of fruits without visible changes during the five evaluation days. The analysis of the extracts demonstrated a significant effect on the control of B. cinerea, as well as on the shelf life of the fruits.

Background: Modern agriculture relies heavily on chemicals to ensure high yields and food security, but their overuse has led to health issues and pest resistance. Researchers are now exploring natural, eco-friendly alternatives for pest control. Methods: This study evaluated two ethanol-based formulations (12.5% and 25% v/v) derived from the tangerine peel (Citrus reticulata L. var 'Clementina') against conventional chemical treatments and untreated control in potato (Solanum tubevar. L. var. ‘Capiro’) cultivation. A randomised block design with three blocks per treatment, each containing 45 plants, was used during the wet season (February–April 2023). Results: Visual inspections and yellow traps followed weekly application from day 30 to 105 post-planting to monitor pest (e.g., Frankliniella occidentalis, Aphididae) and beneficial insect (e.g., Coccinellidae, Aphis mellifera) populations. The 25% formulation performed similarly to chemical treatments against pests but was harmless to beneficial insects. Post-harvest analysis showed that the formulations achieved 73% of conventional yields, with comparable tuber damage and Premnotrypes vorax larvae levels. Conclusions: Toxicological tests confirmed the formulations' eco-friendliness, making them suitable for small-scale Andean "chakras" for organic farming and honey production without chemicals.