Revealing the Impact of Selected Weed Plants on Larval Mortality of Culex Quinquefasciatus (say) Diptera: Culicidae Juveniles

Abstract

Abstract The prevalence of mosquito-borne diseases has precipitated significant global health concerns, particularly in tropical regions where millions of individuals remain at a heightened risk of infection. These diseases, often transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes, can lead to serious illnesses, such as malaria, dengue fever, Zika virus, and chikungunya. Given the substantial health and economic burden imposed by these diseases, there is an undeniable need to effectively address this issue. The efficiency of the selected weed plant extracts in water was evaluated for larval mortality of Culex quinquefasciatus (Cu. quinquefasciatus) after 24 h. The LC50 and LC95 values of the plant extracts of Carthamus oxycantha, Trachyspermum ammi, Achyranthes aspera, Convolvulus arvensis, and Cynodon dactylon were also determined. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with six treatments, each replicated three times. The plant extracts were tested at five concentrations: 200, 300, 500, 700, and 1000 ppm. Carthamus oxycantha in the water extract yielded a higher mortality of 42% after 24 h. Both LC50 and LC95 values were maximum for Cynodon dactylon (66749.45) and lowest for Carthamus oxycantha (2535.34), whereas the LC95 value was highest for Cynodon dactylon. The study recommends that these weed plant extracts be tested at lower concentrations, as higher concentrations yield 100% mortality of the pest. Natural bio-products are not only favored in vector control measures but also in resistance developed by the larvae. These findings highlight the potential of natural bioproducts for vector control and addressing larval resistance, emphasizing the need to identify new active compounds from cost-effective natural sources against mosquitoes.