Abstract

LABORATORY SCALE PRODUCTION OF B.T.- BIO-PESTICIDE USING WATERMELON FRUIT PEEL WASTE AND ITS APPLICATION TO CONTROL MOSQUITO LARVAE

Prathiksha Murugavell, Jyothsnaa R. and Rema Devi*

ABSTRACT

Mosquito-borne diseases like filariasis, malaria, dengue and Japanese encephalitis / constitute a major threat to human health world over and especially in India and in other Asian countries. Spraying of chemical insecticides is the usual method to control mosquitoes, which leads to many harmful diseases such as respiratory complications like asthma, nose block, breathing trouble and respiratory allergies affecting the humans. Apart from humans, mosquitoes also transmit various animal diseases like canine heartworm and setariosis. To control and prevent all these side effects, bio-pesticide produced from biological living material like micro-organisms or any waste products such as that of watermelon, orange peel, molasses can be a good replacement to chemical pesticide. A thought process of preparing a harmless simple bio-pesticide formed the basis of this project.

Keywords: Bio-pesticide, mosquitoes, production, fruit peel waste, larvae.