Among the representative plant species in northwestern Mexico, Larrea tridentata known as “gobernadora” is an invaluable source of biologically active molecules, such as various secondary metabolites that have biocidal activity. In traditional herbal medicine, gobernadora extracts have been used as an antidote.
In agriculture, this dominant shrub of the Sonoran desert is characterized by the compounds extracted from the resin that covers leaves and young stems, since it produces a powerful antioxidant: nordihydroguaiaretic acid (ANDG), which has fungicidal activity (Arteaga et al. , 2005), and methylated compounds derived from this acid that have aroused interest due to their antiviral activity (Gnabre et al., 1996).
Due to the inhibitory effect on numerous enzymatic systems, the cobernadora has a broad spectrum as antiseptic agents, which has been tested by evaluating in vitro various doses of the extracts in 45 phytopathogenic bacteria as a nematicide, the inactivation of nematodes collected from infested soil where melon (Cucumis sativus), grapevine (Vitis vinifera) and walnut (Carya illinoinensis) were planted (Lira-Saldivar, 2003); The antifungal properties of the gobernadora have been corroborated with works for approximately 40 years through in vitro tests. In vitro antifungal activity has been demonstrated.
The gobernadora is reported with studies for the control of pathogenic microorganisms that affect agricultural crops, which are presented with fungicidal effects
Resins derived from the gooseberry show fungicidal activity against Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Pythium spp. and other phytopathogenic fungi, such as those that cause powdery mildew, mildew and rust. It also has insecticidal activity against: brown bean weevil (Acanthoscelides obtectus, Coleoptera: Bruchidae); greater grain borer (Prostephanus truncatus, Coleoptera: Bostrichidae).
Grupo Fagro together with Mexican Biorganix, developed a product with high concentrates of Gobernadora extract, Biotika® Gober. This product is a fungicide-bactericide, designed to significantly reduce the effects of fungal and bacterial attacks on agricultural crops. Because it is formulated based on plant extracts, it is a product that does not represent a risk to the environment. This product is OMRI certified.