ABSTRACT
Botanical insecticides and insecticidal soaps are promising alternatives for use in insect management. General information on the history and development of botanicals, insecticide toxicology, and state registration requirements is also presented. Botanicals and insecticidal soaps are not widely used in conventional commercial agriculture, but small-scale organic growers and home gardeners are using them more extensively. The important concept to remember is that although the environmental safety of all botanical insecticides is enhanced by their rapid degradation, several botanical insecticides can readily poison the careless applicator. Sabadilla, in the form of dusts made from ground seeds, is the least toxic of the registered botanicals. Botanical insecticides and insecticidal soaps share a number of advantages. Foremost among these are their rapid degradation in the environment and their rapid action in insects. The safety of botanical insecticides and insecticidal soaps in general is a topic that deserves careful consideration.
