Pyrethrum in Bloom: Bringing Back the Power of Pyrethrum to Enhance Livelihoods of Small Holders in Kenya

除虫菊（_Tanacetum cinerariifolium_）是一种多年生植物，其花是生物活性除虫菊酯的来源，广泛认为其在园艺中快速击倒昆虫害虫，但具有非常低的哺乳动物毒性和在环境中的非持久性。它们是公认的和全球贸易的天然植物杀虫剂的基础。除虫菊是园艺中使用最广泛的植物杀虫剂，其使用量从2007年的4509 MT增加到2016年的9000 MT。肯尼亚曾是全球生产的领导者，1983年占全球供应量的90%，近30，000公吨，表明这项技术的潜力和小农创收的范围。除虫菊酯含量是可变的，取决于品种和生长条件，而花的增殖取决于繁殖。虽然除虫菊是植物基的，但使用有毒溶剂提取和在配方中加入合成添加剂作为稳定剂、增效剂和载体意味着它不适合有机农业，因此需要新的植物基增效剂和载体。该项目的目的是优化提取和生产，开发以植物为基础的可持续的除虫菊创新配方，并通过合作运动使肯尼亚的小农受益。一旦该部门复苏，经济利益将成为这些农民和加工厂增长的动力。项目期间开发的新有机配方和加工方法将提供新产品，激励更多客户，并有助于支持该行业的持续增长和更广泛的可持续食品生产。我们相信，我们可以实现我们的主要目标，即在36个月的项目时间内，通过这些改进来重振除虫菊行业，使行业保持可持续发展。该项目将实现以下成果：1\。采用改良的离体萌发方法培育高质量的繁殖体，保证腋芽增殖和生根，优化花的除虫菊酯含量。建立了一种基于乙醇和超声波的除虫菊酯有机提取方法.开发新的基于植物油的溶剂（赋形剂），例如来自肯尼亚当地现成的巴豆油和欧芹籽油，以取代合成Shell Sol（r）T油。开发使用植物油/增效剂替代胡椒基丁醚的新配方;开发基于植物的稳定剂替代丁基化羟基甲苯，来自_卷柏_（Parsely）5\。通过农民合作社确定并与主要的除虫菊利益相关者合作，为肯尼亚有机农业注册除虫菊产品。

Pyrethrum (_Tanacetum cinerariifolium_) is a perennial plant whose flowers are a source of bioactive pyrethrins widely recognized for their rapid knock down of insect pests in horticulture but having very low mammalian toxicity and non-persistence in the environment. They are the basis of established and globally traded natural plant insecticides. Pyrethrum is the most widely used plant pesticide in horticulture and its use is increasing with \>9000 MT grown in 2016, increasing from only 4509 MT in 2007\. Kenya was formerly the global leader in production contributing 90% of global supply in 1983 with nearly 30,000MT indicating the potential for this technology and scope for income generation among smallholders. Pyrethrin content is variable and dependent upon variety and growing conditions while flower proliferation is dependent on propagation. While pyrethrum is plant based, the use of toxic solvents for extraction and inclusion of synthetic additives as stabilizers, synergists and carriers in formulations means it is not suitable in organic farming so new plant-based synergists and carriers are required. The aim of this project is to optimise extraction and production and develop innovative pyrethrum formulations that are plant based and sustainable and that benefit smallholder farmers in Kenya through a cooperative movement. The economic benefits will serve as drivers for those farmers and the processing plants to grow once the sector is revived. New organic formulations and processing methods developed during the project will provide new products that incentivise more customers and help to support the continued growth of the sector and sustinjable food production more widely. We believe we can achieve our primary goal of making these improvements to revive the pyrethrum sector during the 36-month timeframe of the project, leaving a sustainable industry.This project will achieve the following outcomes:1\. Develop high quality propagules using improved in vitro germination procedures to guarantee axillary shoot multiplication and rooting to optimise pyrethrin content of flowers.2\. Develop an organic method for pyrethrin extraction based on ethanol and ultrasound.3\. Develop new plant oil-based solvents (excipients) e.g. from _Croton megalocarpus_ and parsley seed oil readily available and indigenous in Kenya, to replace the synthetic Shell Sol(r) T oil.4\. Develop new formulations using plant oils/synergists to replace piperonyl butoxide; and plant-based stabilizers to replace butylated hydroxytoluene e.g., from _Petroselinum crispum_ (Parsely) 5\. Identify and work with key pyrethrum stakeholders and register a pyrethrum-based product for Kenyan organic farming via a farmer cooperative.