Oviposition responses of gravid Aedes aegypti Linn. Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) to natural organic infusions under laboratory condition

Abstract

• Organic infusions of Costus igneus , Psidium guajava and Cicer arietinum were prepared. • Infusions were tested for its oviposition attractancy on gravid Ae. aegypti mosquito. • The highest oviposition in choice bioassay was 457.3 ± 22.8 in 15% insulin plant. • The highest oviposition in comparison bioassay was 475.3 ± 10.7 in 15% insulin plant. • These findings could be applied Ae. eagypti mosquito surveillance and control program. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of different concentrations of three organic infusions as an oviposition attractancy agents of gravid Ae. aegypti mosquito under laboratory condition. Three organic infusions namely, Costus igneus Nak (Insulin plant leaf), Psidium guajava Linn (Guava tree leaf), and Cicer arietinum Linn (Black chickpea) were prepared by fermentation process and bioassays such as choice bioassay and comparison bioassay were performed to assess its oviposition attractiveness. In the choice bioassay, four different concentrations namely, 5%, 10%, 15%, 50% of each infusion was tested with gravid female Ae. aegypti and the oviposition results were compared to the water control. The results showed that the oviposition attractiveness was significantly differed among the different concentrations of three infusions. The highest mean oviposition was observed to be 457.3 ± 22.9 in 15% insulin plant leave infusion and it was 192.6 ± 11.5 in water control (F = 49.64; P = <0.001; OAI = +0.40). The best resulted concentration of the infusions in the choice bioassay was further studied and compared to the positive control (10% hay infusion). The highest mean oviposition was recorded in comparison bioassay was 475.3 ± 10.7 in 15% insulin plant leaf infusion and it was 235.3 ± 9.9 in 10% hay infusion (F = 18.71; P = <0.001; OAI = +0.38). These findings suggest that the insulin plant leaf infusion could be used in ovitraps as an effective organic oviposition attractant in Ae. aegypti mosquito surveillance and control program.