Abstract
The present study was conducted to investigate the acaricidal activity of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of two Cryptogams plants, namely Adiantum capillus-veneris (fern plant) and Funaria hygrometrica (moss plant) at different concentrations (1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) on semi-fed females of Argas persicus (away from their hosts) collected from the field. The percentages of mobile, immobile, and dead females were recorded two-day intervals for 30 days after treatment with all extracts assayed at different concentrations, using the dipping method. The results indicated that all extracts at different concentrations caused a significant decrease in the percentages of mobile ticks and a significant increase in the percentages of dead ones when compared with the control. The acaricidal efficacy of A. capillus-veneris and F. hygrometrica extracts may be attributed to their contents of many active phytochemical constituents that having high potential against ticks. At the highest concentration (4%), the percentage of tick mortality for methanolic extract was more efficient than ethanolic one for both plants recording 100% efficiency for A. capillus-veneris and 50% for F. hygrometrica. So, we recommended using A. capillus-veneris methanolic extract at 4% as a herbal pesticide against A. persicus which have all characters of ideal pesticides; effective (100% acaricidal activity), easily available, cheap, biodegradable (eco-friendly), and do not cause mammalian toxicity.
Highlights
Ticks are belonging to the phylum Arthropoda, class Arachnida
Effect of Ethanolic and Methanolic Extracts of Adiantum capillus-veneris on the Mobility and Viability of Semi-Fed Female Argas persicus from the Field: During the examination of the effect of A. capillus-veneris ethanolic extract at 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% on the percentages of mobile females; it was noticed that the percentages decreased as 70%, 33.3%, 33.3%, and 20%, respectively throughout the examination period (Table 1; Fig. 1)
The percentages of mobile females were decreased along the examined period being 96.7-86.7%, 90-70%, 80-66.7%, and 0% when treated with methanolic extract of A. capillus-veneris at concentrations of 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%, respectively (Table 1; Fig. 2)
Summary
Ticks are belonging to the phylum Arthropoda, class Arachnida. They are obligate blood-sucking ectoparasites of a broad range of vertebrates and sometimes attack humans (Yu et al, 2015). Argas persicus (Argasidae; soft ticks) is the most important ectoparasite of chicken and other domestic fowl, as well as humans (Tavassoli et al, 2015). It acts as a vector for some bacteria and viruses to poultry
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