Molluscicidal Activityon Golden Kuhol Applied With Ipil-Ipil Leaves (Leucaena glauca L.), Makahiya (Mimosa pudica)and Guava (Psidium guajava L.)

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The golden apple snail, popularly known as "golden kuhol" [Pomacea canaliculata Lamarck], was introduced into the Philippines between 1982 and 1984. It came from South America (Brazil and Argentina) via Taiwan. Its high nutritive value as food for human beings and farm animals generated interest among both public and private sectors to propagate the production of this organism. However, a few years after its introduction, the golden apple snail became a major pest of rice. It is known to be one of the farmer's worst enemy in the rice field. This pest can be very destructive by consuming the rice stalks and rice stuff thus, will lessen the farmer's harvest.

METHODS

One way of controlling this rampant infestation of this pest is to apply a natural way of eliminating it by using a plant molluscicide in the form of ipil-ipil, guava and Makahiya leaves extract applied to the golden kuhol to inhibit its laying of egg and killing the golden apple snail without affecting the plant host. The plant materials of ipil-ipil, guava and makahiya were gathered in a farm lot and were thoroughly washed and air-dried. This was broughtto CSU Diagnostic laboratory for weighing of about 100 grams of each botanical plants (makahiya, ipil-ipil, guava). Then, place the weighted botanical plants in the Erlenmeyer flask. Add 320 ml of in each Erlenmeyer flask containing the botanical plants for 24 hours and covered by a aluminum foil. After soaking the plant samples, this was then filtered and the sample extracts using the filter paper, funnel and beaker. Put the filtered extract in the cylinder and then place it in the hot plate. Using the hot plate let the extract be heated with a temperature of 450ºC within 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, allow the extract to cool down. Then label and store for application on the mortality rate of snails.

RESULTS

The study shows the effectivity of botanical plants as molluscicide with the golden kuhol applied with different time interval of 10 minutes, 20 minutes and 30 minutes and different concentrations of 5%, 7.5% and 10% of extract. Mortality rate was computed within this time interval, it was found out that guava leaves extract was the most effective, followed by ipil-ipil leaves extract, and the least among the three botanical plant is the makahiya leaves.

DISCUSSIONS

Guava is the most potent hence tannins and saponins were abundantly present, ipil-ipil is abundantly present in saponins and moderately abundant with tannins. Meanwhile, makahiya has moderately presence saponins and slightly present in tannins. Thus, it shows that the plant samples had a molluscicidal activity especially saponins accordingto some researchers the interaction between plants and phytophagous insects are multiple particularly those focused on toxicity of certain substances toward insects. This toxicity appears primarily in the interference with the feeding behavior, which makes it a good pesticide.