By Mekonnen Teshome – Sheikh Mohammed Al-Amoudi, the 2nd richest business person in Africa next to Aliko Dangote, funds the bio-pesticide research conducted on Phytolacca dodecandra L’Herit, a sprawling woody climber plant. The data collected from these studies indicates that the plant has fungicidal, larvicidal and molluscicidal properties,” Adane Wolde-Yohannes indicated. The molluscicidal property of Phytolacca dodecandra was first discovered by the Ethiopian scientist Professor Aklilu Lemma, a pathologist, in 1964. Ever since the discovery of Professor Lemma, about 150 scientific publications came out in Ethiopia and abroad. Phytolacca dodecandra is a sprawling woody climber with stems reaching 5–10 m in length, with erect, racemic, dioecious flowering stalks, and pinkish or red berries.

Source: News Business Ethiopia June 28, 2019 14:22 UTC