Work Package 3: Phytochemical characterisation of active materials

1. Work Package 3: Phytochemical characterisation of active materials Lead partner: NRI-UOG Involved partners: RBGKEW, MUM, UZ

2. Justification • Use of plants as pesticides established & effective for crop, storage protection, livestock treatment. • So why the need for chemistry? • Requires expensive equipment • Time consuming

3. Justification - scientific • Pesticidal plant use improved via understanding the chemistry that governs activity e.g., • enhancing application methods • water soluble components applied as water extracts reducing amounts needed • improving harvesting strategies - less long term damage • correct time of year • correct part of plant • identifying alternatives species for scarce or threatened ones • some plants are effective & popular but over-harvested • abundant plants with similar chemistry environmentally benign alternative • Authentication & validation • Identification of toxins

4. Justification - institutional • The ability of SADC partners to carry out this analytical work is presently limited • capacity needs to be built. • This WP will incorporate significant training component • analytical and preparative techniques • bioassays techniques

5. Objectives WP3 • Chemical profiling of at least 10 pesticidal plants - selection based on information arising from WP2 • through literature surveys. • from published indigenous use in pest control. • information obtained from farmers • plants that farmers demonstrate to be effective • Plants used in other places but not in our region.

6. Objectives WP3 • Identification of key bioactive components • Use literature & chemical database compound searches • Chemical analysis using LC-MS / GC-MS / NMR • Compound purification • Biological activity testing of processed materials, extracts & pure compounds to verify activity • Optimise approaches to harvesting e.g., Securidaca longepedunculata • Roots vs. bark • Water extract vs. powdered root/bark. • Ensure correct ID of species Cissus populnea vs. Cassia sophera

7. Objectives WP3 • Capacity building through staff exchange & training of SADC scientists (Mzuzu University & University of Zimbabwe) • in UK labs at NRI-UOG and RBG-Kew • through formal training – PhD? • to develop appropriate analytical techniques for technology available in SADC.

8. Outputs • At least 3 peer reviewed papers. • Training document for rapid and straightforward chemical analysis of plant materials • Specifically plants for which info is collected within the project. • More general techniques specific to biological activity testing • Provision of standard texts e.g., Phytochemical methods • Methods to be relevant.

9. Where & How? • RBG-Kew NRI-UOG can provide • analytical chemistry GC-MS, LC-MS, NMR • compounds isolation • biological activity testing • Stored product pests e.g., Callosobruchus &Sitophilus spp. • Field crop pestse.g., Bemisia & Spodoptera spp. • Invertebrate & unicellular parasites? • Needs to be prioritised – what are the most important and relevant tests • Mzuzu University & University of Zimbabwe • Analytical plant chemistry – HPLC. • Biological activity testing • Capacity building and training

10. Questions for discussion • Training – who & how? • Who works on which plants? • Divided up by plants species or use? • Material Transfer – access to plants. • Biological activity testing. • Who runs which bioassays? • Which organisms? • Where to get livestock parasite bioassays done