Bamboo Shoots (Bambusa merrilliana) Infusion and Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Extract as Rodenticide

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

One of the main problems of today life is pests. In many countries, including the Philippines, pests have a huge population and have been a problem of the people in a particular place. Rats and mice compete with humans for food. This loss to rodents causes economic loss everywhere. Rodents are also hosts for human diseases. According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2017), rats and mice spread over 35 diseases worldwide. In connection with this, the researcher thought of conducting a study on how chemicals in plants can help in reducing the number of mice and rats in the community. It has been known that bamboo shoots and cassava root crops contain cyanide, especially cyanogenic glycosides. This substance can be tapped as a source of rodenticide.

METHODS

The experimental method of research was applied in the collection of data needed in the study. The data gathered were treated using appropriate statistical tools such as frequency and average, Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and comparisons of means using the Tukey method. Three formulations were prepared from the mixture of bamboo shoots infusion and cassava extract such as 25:75, 75:25 and 50:50 and three dosages were used such as 0.25 mL, 0.50 mL, and 0.75 mL. The prepared mixture of rodenticide was administered in fifty grams of rice and placed in three different containers with five mice each. They were subjected to three trials. The level of effectiveness was determined in terms of the mortality rate of mice according to elapsed time: after six hours, twelve hours and eighteen hours.

RESULTS

The result showed that the most effective dosage in terms of mice fatality is 0.75 mL as it has an average mortality of 1.67 for the 25:75 formulation, 2.33 for the 75:25 formulation, and 3.67 for the 50:50 formulation with a percentage of 33.4%, 46.6% and 73.4% respectively. For the formulation, the most effective in terms of mice fatality was the 50:50 formulation since it has the highest average mortality among the three formulations. The average mortality was 1.67 (33.3%), 2.67 (53.3%) and 3.67 (73.3%).

DISCUSSIONS

The researcher recommends that household members and farmers use 100% of the formulation of bamboo shoots and cassava extract as a natural rodenticide. Additionally, farmers should plant or propagate bamboo and cassava plants to have a steady supply of organic rodenticide which will not only reduce the use of commercial rodenticides but also provide an additional source of income from farmers.