Evaluation of larvicidal efficacy of Melaleuca styphelioides Sm. against Culex quinquefasciatus larvae

Abstract

In many developing countries vector-borne diseases are one of the causes of illness and death. The larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus are vectors that transmit the parasites and pathogens that cause diseases like filariasis, dengue, yellow fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis, chikungunya, and so forth, which are considered harmful to the population in tropic and subtropical regions. Botanical insecticides provide an alternative to synthetic insecticides because they are generally considered safe, are biodegradable, and can often be obtained from local sources. The larvicidal effects of Melaleuca styphelioides using essential oil and leaf powder extracts against Culex quinquefasciatus larvae were conducted. A higher concentration of essential oil was found to be effective in causing the death of the larvae after one-hour treatment with an LC50 and LC90 of 360.33ppm and 684.33 ppm respectively. The percentage of mortality using powder extract was also found to increase with an increase in concentration and time. The time interval of 72 hours was found to be more effective with leaf powder with LC50 (245.89ppm) and LC90 (534.76ppm). The leaf extracts of M. styphelioides are effective in killing mosquito larvae and can be developed as an eco-friendly approach for the control of mosquitoes.