The research team used three main ingredients: fish poison plant, neem seeds, and lemongrass essential oil to extract compounds with the ability to kill insects. Specifically, they extracted rotenone from fish poison plant roots, azadirachtin from neem seeds, and compounds in lemongrass essential oil.

Rotenone has a strong effect on the mitochondrial respiratory chain in insects, depleting energy and leading to death. Azadirachtin, which shows effects on the endocrine system, prevents molting, prevents growth and reduces fertility in many insects.

Lemongrass essential oil, meanwhile, contains antibacterial and insect repellent compounds, which help inhibit the growth of pests. Through laboratory tests, two preparations, rotenone and azadirachtin, were effective in killing more than 70% of diamondback and green caterpillars, with rotenone being more effective than the drug Dibaroten available in the market.

The research team developed a process to produce an insecticide with a ratio of 1:1:1 (rotenone: azadirachtin: lemongrass essential oil), which showed an effective killing of 94.2% of diamondback moths and 91% of smooth green caterpillars when tested in greenhouse and field conditions.

These products not only ensure the safety of consumers' health but also limit residues on vegetables, so farmers can safely use them in combination with other integrated pest management measures to minimize the use of chemicals in vegetable cultivation.