Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus) as a potential phytoinsecticide: larvicidal activity of crude extracts on Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)
https://doi.org/10.47665/tb.38.2.056
- Author:
Avicor, S.W.
1
,
2
;
Wajidi, M.F.F.
2
;
Achoribo, E.S.
3
,
4
;
Ong, M.T.
3
;
Hamzah, S.N.
5
Author Information
1. Entomology Division, Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, P. O. Box 8, New Tafo-Akim, Ghana&
2. Molecular Entomology Research Group, School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
3. Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia&
4. Radiological and Medical Sciences Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, P. O. Box LG80, Legon, Accra, Ghana
5. School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Aedes aegypti;
Culex quinquefasciatus;
tiger nuts;
larvicidal;
crude extracts
- From:Tropical Biomedicine
2021;38(No.2):186-191
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Plants contain bioactive compounds and are constantly explored as safer alternatives to conventional insecticides. Despite numerous studies on many plants, information on the insecticidal potential of underutilised plants like tiger nut, Cyperus esculentus L., are scant, although their pharmacological potentials are well known. Hence, this study investigated the larvicidal potential of crude aqueous extracts of two C. esculentus varieties (black and yellow) on the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti (L.) and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say). Mosquito larvae were exposed to C. esculentus crude extracts using the larval bioassay technique of the World Health Organization. Differential larvicidal responses were observed in the test mosquitoes and extracts of Black Dried Tiger nuts (BDT) were more larvicidal than Yellow Dried Tiger nuts (YDT). Acute larval toxicity of the extracts was more pronounced on Cx. quinquefasciatus than Ae. aegypti. The results indicate the potential of C. esculentus (particularly BDT) as a source of mosquito bioinsecticide and merits further studies as a safer alternative to conventional insecticide-based vector control.
- Full text:8.2021my1256.pdf
