Evaluating the accaridal properties of Solanum Campylacanthum on Rhepiciphalus Appendiculatus
Abstract
The study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of Solanum incanum in control of ticks with a focus on Rheciphalus appendiculatus. Different parts of the plant were used as treatment and positive and negative control treatments used. These different treatments were applied on Rheciphalus appendiculatus for two days. The number of ticks that died in each treatment were counted.
Percentage mortality rate was calculated for day1 and day2 and differences in treatments compared. Data were analyzed using one way anova to determine the statistical significance. Fruit extract showed more potential in killing ticks than positive control of amitraz. The mixture of all plant parts also showed more potential in killing ticks. Results of this study indicate that solanum incanum can be used as an alternative in controlling ticks than conventional acaricides.
It was recommended that this research should be carried on different tick species so that we get a long term solution of controlling ticks using purely organic acaricides that are not harmful to the environment and people. The community can benefit from solanum incanum which is normally destroyed as weed by using it to kill ticks that have become a serious threat to animal industry.