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Spodoptera frugiperda has caused significant losses of farmer income in sub-Saharan countries since 2016. This study assessed farmers’ knowledge of S. frugiperda, their perceptions and management practices in Benin. Data were collected through a national survey of 1237 maize farmers. Ninety-one point eight percent of farmers recognized S. frugiperda damage, 78.9% of them were able to identify its larvae, and 93.9% of the maize fields were infested. According to farmers, the perceived yield losses amounted to 797.2 kg/ha of maize, representing 49% of the average maize yield commonly obtained by farmers. Chi-square tests revealed that the severity of the pest attacks was significantly associated with cropping practices and types of grown maize varieties. About 16% of farmers identified francolin (Francolinus bicalcaratus), village weaver (Ploceus cucullatus), and common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) as natural enemies and 5% of them identified yellow nutsedge, chan, shea tree, neem, tamarind, and soybean as repellent plants of S. frugiperda. Most farmers (91.4%) used synthetic pesticides and 1.9% of them used botanical pesticides, which they found more effective than synthetic pesticides. Significant relationships exist between farmers’ management practices, their knowledge, organization membership, and contact with research and extension services. More research is required to further understand the effectiveness of botanical pesticides made by farmers against S. frugiperda and to refine them for scaling-up.

The Biosphere Reserve of Pendjari is an example of best management practice of protected areas in West Africa with typical Sudanian savanna vegetation. It is part of the vast and transboundary protected areas of W, Pendjari and Arly National Parks of Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger. This work provides an overview of the flora of the reserve by means of a thorough botanical inventory. The plant species composition is typical of Sudanian savanna. We recorded 684 plant species, which were distributed among 366 genera and 89 families. The two most species-rich families were Fabaceae (115) and Poaceae (112). The most important life forms were phanerophytes and therophytes. The chorological spectrum was dominated by Sudanian species. With Ipomoea beninensis Akoègninou, Lisowski and Sinsin, Thunbergia atacorensis Akoègninou and Lisowski and Cissus kouandeensis A.Chev., three endemic species of Benin were recorded, demonstrating the importance of the reserve for plant conservation.

In southern Benin, medicinal plants are used for the health care of children aged 0 to 12 years. The present study aims to highlight some medicinal plants used in southern Benin to treat childhood diseases including malaria, candidiasis, teething disorders, infant colic and diarrhea. The phytochemical screening of the leafy stems of the selected plants revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins (gallic and catechic), coumarins, anthocyanins and leuco-anthocyans, quinone derivatives, triterpenoids, steroids, saponosides and reducing sugars. These various metabolites possess various therapeutic properties involved in the treatment of the indicated disorders. This would confirm the therapeutic uses reported by the populations surveyed. However, the evaluation of antimalarial, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities as well as the toxicity test of the aqueous extract of these plants would be necessary.European Scientific Journal January 2017 edition vol.13, No.3 ISSN: 1857 -7881 (Print) e -ISSN 1857-7431 472Keywords: Phytochemical screening, medicinal plants, infantile diseases, therapeutic property, South Benin. RésuméAu sud du Bénin, des plantes médicinales sont utilisées pour les soins de santé des enfants de 0 à 12 ans. La présente étude se propose de valoriser quelques plantes médicinales utilisées au sud du Bénin pour traiter les maladies infantiles dont le paludisme, la candidose, les troubles de dentition, la colique du nourrisson et la diarrhée. Le criblage phytochimique des rameaux feuillés des 10 plantes retenues révèle la présence d'alcaloïdes, de tanins (gallique et catéchique), de coumarines, d'anthocyanes et de leucoanthocyanes, de dérivés quinones, de triterpénoïdes, de stéroïdes, de saponosides et de sucres réducteurs. Ces divers métabolites possèdent diverses propriétés thérapeutiques pouvant intervenir dans le traitement des troubles indiqués. Ce qui confirmerait l'usage thérapeutique signalé par les populations enquêtées. Cependant l'évaluation des activités antipaludique, antibactérienne, anti-inflammatoire, analgésique de même que le test de toxicité de l'extrait aqueux de ces plantes seraient nécessaires.