Research Journal of Biological Sciences

Year: 2007
Volume: 2
Issue: 6
Page No. 612 - 616

Larvicidal Activity of Tephrosia vogelii Crude Extracts on Mosquito Larval Stages

Authors : H. Matovu and D. Olila

Abstract: The use of natural products and biological insect control methods is gaining importance because of concerns about the environment, since they are more easily biodegradable. In some parts of Uganda, organic farmers have adopted the use of Tephrosia vogelii, a shrubby, leguminous and woody plant for control of storage pests. However, the efficacy of Tephrosia vogelii crude extracts in the control of Dipteran insect larvae under field conditions has not been well tested. Their use for the control of insect vectors such as mosquitoes has not also been fully evaluated. Tephrosia vogelii plant materials were collected from two selected sites, one on a higher altitude than the other using polythene study. The material was chopped, properly labeled and air-dried in a shade for two weeks. Four solvents where used for extraction: Water, Petroleum ether, Chloroform, Methanol. The extract was dried in an oven at about 32-33�C for several days, after which it was weighed and stored in the fridge at 4�C until the time of exposing the mosquito larvae. Shoot Evening Methanol (SEM) was the most effective among methanol extracts; killing an average of 4.57 mosquito larvae in 8 min while Shoot Evening Water (SEW) was the most effective of water extracts killing an average of 2.57 mosquito larvae in 8 min; hence the SEM was considered to be nearly two times more efficacious than SEW on mosquito larvae, at a concentration of 25%: 10.8% or 2.3:1 SEM: SEW, respectively. Tephrosia vogelii crude extracts could potentially therefore be used to control the larval stages of mosquitoes.

How to cite this article:

H. Matovu and D. Olila , 2007. Larvicidal Activity of Tephrosia vogelii Crude Extracts on Mosquito Larval Stages . Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 2: 612-616.

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