The potency of Citronella oil and Clove oil for pest and disease control in tropical fruit plants

One of the main obstacles in tropical fruit cultivation is pests and diseases. It is necessary to apply safe pest control for consumers and the environment. Indonesian Tropical Fruit Research Institute (ITFRI) studies the potency of several essential oils for pests and disease control on tropical fruit for many years. These studies aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Citronella and clove oils in controlling pests and diseases. These studies were conducted in laboratory and field conditions by comparing the development of pest and disease symptoms on essential oils treated plants and untreated control or among several essential oils treated plants. The results showed that clove oil could inhibit the development of powdery mildew in rambutan and Phytophthora palmivora that caused diseases in durian. Citronella oil decreased ant attack and scarring symptoms on mangosteen fruits. Research activities to test the effectiveness of these two essential oils in field conditions need to be intensified so that this technology is truly effective, efficient, and right on target.