Insecticidal effects of various neem preparations against some insects of agricultural and public health concern

Authors

  • Achio S.
  • Ameko E.
  • Kutsanedzie F.
  • Alhassan S.

Keywords:

Neem, azadirachtin, insecticidal, lethal, kernel, pests

Abstract

Neem (Azadirachta indica) has some medicinal and pesticidal properties resulting from its various active components, including azadirachtin. Laboratory experiments were conducted to study the insecticidal properties of extracts and powders prepared from different neem parts (seed, leaf, stem and root) against the Macrotermes spp., Phaseouslus spp., Periplaneta spp. and larvae of Anopheles spp., which are important pests of agricultural and public health sectors. The lethal effect was more pronounced with the seed extract (40-55 %), followed by the leaf extract (30-45 %), the stem extract (30-40 %), and the root extract (10-30 %), as compared to the control (distil water) which registered 0 % mortality. The termites and the weevils were seen to be more susceptible to the various extracts, compared to the cockroaches and mosquito larvae. Oil extracted from the neem seed kernel showed even greater lethal properties on the insects, with a minimal lethal concentration, in all cases, being 0.50 % V/v. Again the termites and the weevils responded faster, recording total deaths within 2-5 minutes, compared to the cockroaches and the mosquito larvae where total deaths were experienced only after 30-90 minutes. It was also found out that there was a direct relation between the concentration and degree of lethal effectiveness of the oil. The neem, especially the seed oil, has great potential as natural biocide against termites and weevils.

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Published

2012-09-30

How to Cite

Achio S., Ameko E., Kutsanedzie F. and Alhassan S. (2012) “Insecticidal effects of various neem preparations against some insects of agricultural and public health concern”, International Journal of Research in BioSciences (IJRBS), 1(2), pp. 11-19. Available at: http://www.ijrbs.in/index.php/ijrbs/article/view/49 (Accessed: 29March2024).

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Articles