Evaluation of larvicidal efficacy of indigenous botanicals from Nigeria against larval stages of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus

El uso continuado de productos químicos para eliminar o reducir las poblaciones de mosquitos a un nivel tolerable desarrolla resistencias con el tiempo. Se exploran extractos de plantas como alternativas para mitigar su incidencia en el medio ambiente. El estudio comparó las eficacias larvicidas de cinco productos botánicos autóctonos frente a los estadios larvales de Aedes aegypti y Culex quinquefasciatus. Grupos de treinta larvas de de estadio 1 a 3 de Ae. aegypti y Cx. quinquefasciatus se expusieron a 5, 10 y 15 mg/100 ml de los extractos de los productos botánicos analizándose en laboratorio su actividad larvicida a las 24, 48 y 72 horas. Los extractos de Morinda lucida y Vernonia amygdalina fueron los más efectivos frente a los estadios larvarios 1 a 3 de Ae. aegypti y Cx. quinquefasciatus. Mosquitoes are known to develop resistance over time while using chemicals to eliminate or reduce their population to tolerable level. Plant extracts are explored as alternatives to mitigate their incidence in the environment. The study compared the larvicidal efficacies of five different indigenous botanicals against the larval stages of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. Batches of thirty 1st-3rd instar larvae of Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus were exposed to 5, 10 and 15mg/100ml of the crude extracts of the botanicals respectively and they were assayed in the laboratory for larvicidal activities for 24, 48, and 72hrs post exposure. Morinda lucida and Vernonia amygdalina extracts were the most effective against 1st-3rd instars of Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus.