Gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium) and Neem (Azadirachta indica) Responses in the Control of Poultry Lice (Menopon gallinae)

Abstract

Neem and Gliricidia sepium plants were evaluate for insecticidal value in the control of common poultry lice. Chickens infested with lice were selected and divided into four groups.  Aqueous extract of Neem and Gliricida sepium plans in varying concentration such as of 0 ml 10 ml, 20 ml and 50 ml was prepared as treatment and water was used as the control. The results for the mean percentage mortality of lice exposed to various concentrations of Gliricidia sepium, Gliricidia sepium + Neem, and Neem plant extracts showed that Gliricidia sepium achieved the highest average percentage mortality of 100% in a 50 ml leaf extract. This was followed by Gliricidia sepium + Neem with a mortality rate of 93.02% at 50 ml and Neem with 78.05% mortality at 50 ml. In contrast, the control group exhibited 0% mortality. Additionally, the results revealed that the highest mortality rate of 100% was recorded after a 2-minutes exposure to Gliricidia sepium, followed by Gliricidia sepium + Neem with 93.02% at 50 ml in 5 minutes, and Neem extract with 78.05% in 6 minutes. However, the lowest percentage mortality was observed with 0 minutes of exposure in the control group, across different concentrations.