[{
  "type": "article-journal",
  "title": "IN-SITU APPLICATION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES IN COMBINATION WITH BOTANICAL EXTRACTS TO ENHANCE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN CONTROLLING SUCKING INSECT PESTS OF COTTON",
  "author": [
    {
      "family": "Farooq",
      "given": ""
    },
    {
      "family": "Ali",
      "given": ""
    },
    {
      "family": "baig",
      "given": ""
    },
    {
      "family": "Abbasi",
      "given": ""
    },
    {
      "family": "Atta",
      "given": ""
    }
  ],
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [[2026]]
  },
  "container-title": "Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences",
  "ISSN": "1018-7081",
  "volume": "36",
  "issue": "2",
  "page": "405-417",
  "DOI": "https://doi.org/10.36899/JAPS.2026.2.0034",
  "abstract": "<p><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Sucking insect pests pose serious threats to various crops, necessitating effective integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. This study explores residue-free, alternative pest control techniques using</span><span lang=\"EN-GB\">electromagnetic waves in synergy with botanical extracts of&nbsp;<em>Azadirachta indica</em>&nbsp;(Neem),&nbsp;<em>Moringa oleifera</em>&nbsp;(Moringa), and&nbsp;<em>Citrus limon</em>&nbsp;(Lemon) for managing key sucking pests:&nbsp;<em>Bemisia tabaci</em>,&nbsp;<em>Aphis gossypii</em>,&nbsp;<em>Amrasca biguttula</em>,&nbsp;<em>Oxycarenus hyalinipennis</em>, and&nbsp;<em>Thrips tabaci</em>. Laboratory experiments were conducted under a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five microwave exposure durations (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 seconds) and four concentrations (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) of each botanical extract, each replicated three times. Microwaves at 2.4 GHz were applied using a custom-built device. The 20-second exposure time resulted in the highest mortality across all insect species, with&nbsp;<em>B. tabaci</em>&nbsp;(27.6%),&nbsp;<em>A. gossypii</em>&nbsp;(22.3%),&nbsp;<em>A. biguttula</em>&nbsp;(21.1%),&nbsp;<em>O</em>.&nbsp;<em>hyalinipennis</em>&nbsp;(22.5%), and&nbsp;<em>T. tabaci</em>&nbsp;(21.8%). When combined with botanical extracts, mortality significantly increased&mdash;maximum mortality occurred after 72 hours with 20%&nbsp;<em>A. indica</em>&nbsp;(24.38%),&nbsp;<em>M. oleifera</em>&nbsp;(24.44%), and&nbsp;<em>C. limon</em>&nbsp;(21.54%) extracts. Integrating microwaves with botanicals demonstrated significant synergistic insecticidal activity under controlled laboratory conditions. This innovative, residue-free approach offers a viable alternative to synthetic insecticides, aligning with sustainable pest management goals. Future research should focus on field-scale validation, optimization of microwave delivery systems, and phytochemical profiling of botanicals to enhance efficacy and scalability.</span></p>",
  "publisher": "Pakistan Agricultural Scientists Forum",
  "URL": "https://thejaps.org.pk/AbstractView.aspx?mid=2025-JAPS-405"
}]