Madre de Cacao (Gliricidia sepium) leaf extract as Termite (Coptotermes gestroi)

repellant

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Termites are voracious feeders and consume wood, cardboard, and paper and

sometimes even fabric. They feed on all sorts of cellulose-containing materials and drill

holes in such materials as rubber, plastic, and styrofoam in their search for food. They also

attack living trees by consuming the heartwood which weakens the trees and can bring

them down in a storm. They live underground and enter buildings through cracks,

expansion joints, and utility conduits. They sometimes form foraging tubes along the

surface of the ground and the outside surfaces of structures. They eat structural timbers

from the inside outwards, leaving a thin film of surface wood which may display a blistered

appearance. In Singapore and Malaysia, this species is responsible for 80% to 90% of the

damage caused to manmade structures by insects and it is the commonest species of termite

found in built-up areas.

Termite infestation and damage can be devastating to homes or properties. Termites

are often called the “silent destroyer” because they may be secretly hiding and thriving in

homes or yard without any immediate signs of damage. All termites consume cellulose-

based plant materials. Unfortunately, all homes, regardless of their construction type, can

provide cellulose food for termite infestation. In the case of the Philippines, where most

houses are made up of indigenous materials, the infestation of termites is an inevitable

problem that the Filipinos have experience in the course of history. However, several

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preemptive and eradicative measurements can be used to eliminate the risks of termite

infestation, likewise the use of insect repellants and termiticides.

Insect repellants discourages insects from landing or climbing on a sensitive surface

that needs to be protected. Several chemical repellants are available commercially,

however, they pose significant danger to health due to their synthetic nature. The use of

natural insect repellents may help reduce the negative impacts of synthetically prepared

repellants. Most natural repellents can be made from natural oil extracts from most

insecticidal plants. One example of these insecticidal plants is the Madre de Cacao or

Kakawati.

There are many compounds found in Gliricidia sepium. The ones most researched

are the tannins. In one study, Gliricidia was found to contain 40.7g of condensed tannins/kg

dry matter. Tannins bind to protein and can make plants with high levels have an astringent

dry mouth taste that can contribute to the repellence of termites in wood and furniture.

Moreover, kakawati leaves are a good source of coumarins, a toxic substance that can kill

almost all types of pests and insects.

Thus, the researchers will prove the effectiveness of Madre de Cacao

(Gliricidia sepium) leaf extract as Termite (Coptotermes gestroi) repellent.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The main objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of Madre de

Cacao leaf extract as termite repellent.

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 Specifically, this study will seek to answer the following questions:

1. What is the level of effectiveness of Madre de Cacao leaf extract as a termite

repellent?

2. Is there a significant difference in the level of effectiveness of Madre de Cacao

leaf extract as a termite repellent at different concentrations?

Hypotheses

a) Alternative Hypothesis (NA) – Madre de Cacao leaf extract is an effective termite

repellent.

b) Null Hypothesis (NO) – Madre de Cacao leaf extract is not an effective termite repellent.

Scope and Limitations

This study will focus on the effectiveness of Madre de Cacao leaf extract as termite

repellent. Five treatments with different concentrations of Madre de Cacao leaf extract will

be used with each treatment containing three replicates and will be tested on a uniform

number of termites. True Experimental design will be used in the study.

To determine the effectiveness of Madre de Cacao leaf extract as a termite repellent,

the mean of the results will be used and the level of effectiveness will be described as less

effective (0-25% repellence), moderately effective (26-50% repellence), effective (51-75%

repellence) and very effective (76-100% repellence.

The termites will be obtained from an infested wood and will not be characterized

for similarity in physiological features. The longevity of the effect of the repellent will not

be measured.

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Significance of the study

The researchers believed that the findings of the study will greatly affect the following:

Households. This study may help reduce termite infestations in household by a

more natural repellent,

Environment. By the use of a natural repellent, this study may help to reduce the

risks of toxic synthetic chemicals,

Researcher. The study will help in the intellectual growth of the researchers,

Future Researchers. This study may serve as a basis for researchers involved in

related topics.

Definition of terms

 Insect Repellent – a substance applied to skin, clothing, or other surfaces which

discourages insects (and arthropods in general) from landing or climbing on that

surface.

 Percent Repellence – is the ratio the insects discouraged to land, climb or bore

on a specific surface to the total number of insects tested for treatment.

 Extract – is a solution or preparation containing the active principles of a drug,

plant juice or the like.

 True Experimental Design – is a type of experimental design and is thought to

be the most accurate type of experimental research. This is because a true

experiment supports or refutes a hypothesis using statistical analysis. A true

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experiment is also thought to be the only experimental design that can establish

cause and effect relationships.

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 Chapter 2

Review of Related Literatures and Study

RELATED LITERATURES

Madre de Cacao (Gliricidia sepium)

Madre de Cacao or Kakawati is a smooth, deciduous tree, 3 to 10 meters high.

Leaves are 15 to 25 centimeters long with 13 leaflets which are opposite, oblong-ovate, 4

to 6 centimeters long, with a pointed tip and rounded base. Racemes are numerous on

leafless branches, containing many flowers. Flowers are pink, 2 centimeters long, with a

truncate calyx. The standard is reflexed and pale-yellow in the median part. The pods are

narrowly oblong to oblanceolate, 10 to 14 centimeters long, about 2 centimeters wide,

containing 6 to 8 seeds.

The name "gliricidia" derives from the Lain 'glis'(dormouse) and caedere (to kill).

The Spanish name "mata-raton" refers to the tree's rodenticial properties. As the tree pods

hang-dry in the sun, they curl and explode, making a popping cracking sound. A cluster of

trees with their pods snapping and popping and falling to the ground, in unison, make a

fascinating afternoon of nature's concoction of sound. The tree is common in the southern

Tagalog areas, shedding leaves around December and flowering February and March. In

some areas, the blooming of its pink flowers is so profuse to deserve a comparison with

the cherry blossoms.

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 Studies have suggested the antimicrobial, anti-scabies, nematicidal, insecticidal,

antiviral, acaricidal properties of Madre de Cacao. There is some evidence to suggest G.

sepium can protect some crops from fungal, insect or viral attack directly or by acting as a

diversionary host plant for pests. Studies have also suggested G. sepium mulch has a

fungicidal effect. It has been used to control termite damage in Sri Lanka and stem-borer

damage to rice in the Philippines. In India, the tree was found to have a positive effect on

the transmission of aphids (Aphis craccivora) causing rosette disease in groundnuts. In

Latin American, used by farmers to repel insects. Leaves are ground up, mixed with water,

and the resulting paste use to bathe animals, and repeated every 7 to 14 days, decreasing

the infections from tropical warble fly.

Asian subterranean termite/Philippine milk termite

Coptotermes gestroi, the Asian subterranean termite is a small species of termite

that lives underground. Both this species and the Formosan subterranean termite,

(Coptotermes formosanus) are destructive pests native to Asia, but have spread to other

parts of the world including the United States. In Asia, this species is known as the

Philippine milk termite.

C. gestroi is endemic to Southeast Asia, but has spread to many other parts of the

world over the course of the last century. It reached the Marquesas Islands in 1932,

Mauritius in 1936, and Réunion in 1957. It reached Barbados in 1937 and spread to many

islands in the West Indies. It also occurs in southern Mexico. It was discovered in Fiji in

2009.

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 The body of the worker termite is small, white, and translucent as are the limbs.

The soldier is larger and also white, but the ovoid head, the forward-pointing mandibles,

the prothorax, and the front segments of the abdomen are dark brown. Two small pale spots

are on the head adjacent to the antennae. On the forehead is an opening called a

fontanellewhich can extrude a white defensive secretion. In appearance, C. gestroi is very

similar to C. formosanus, but they can be differentiated under the microscope, with the

number of hairs on the head of the soldier differing in the two species.

These termites are voracious feeders and consume wood, cardboard, and paper and

sometimes even fabric. They feed on all sorts of cellulose-containing materials and drill

holes in such materials as rubber, plastic, and styrofoam in their search for food. They also

attack living trees by consuming the heartwood which weakens the trees and can bring

them down in a storm. They live underground and enter buildings through cracks,

expansion joints, and utility conduits. They sometimes form foraging tubes along the

surface of the ground and the outside surfaces of structures. They eat structural timbers

from the inside outwards, leaving a thin film of surface wood which may display a blistered

appearance. In Singapore and Malaysia, this species is responsible for 80% to 90% of the

damage caused to manmade structures by insects and it is the commonest species of termite

found in built-up areas.

Insect Repellent

An insect repellent (also commonly called "bug spray") is a substance applied to

skin, clothing, or other surfaces which discourages insects (and arthropods in general) from

landing or climbing on that surface. Insect repellents help prevent and control the outbreak

of insect-borne (and other arthropod-bourne) diseases such as malaria, Lyme disease,

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dengue fever, bubonic plague, river blindness and West Nile fever. Pest animals commonly

serving as vectors for disease include insects such as flea, fly, and mosquito; and the

arachnid tick.

Some insect repellents are insecticides (bug killers), but most simply discourage

insects and send them flying or crawling away. Almost any might kill at a massive dose

without reprieve, but classification as an insecticide implies death even at lower doses.

True Experimental Design

A true experiment is a type of experimental design and is thought to be the most

accurate type of experimental research. This is because a true experiment supports or

refutes a hypothesis using statistical analysis. A true experiment is also thought to be the

only experimental design that can establish cause and effect relationships.

True experiments must have a control group, which is a group of research

participants that resemble the experimental group but do not receive the experimental

treatment. The control group provides a reliable baseline data to which you can compare

the experimental results. The experimental group is the group of research participants who

receive the experimental treatment. True experiments must have at least one control group

and one experimental group, though it is possible to have more than one experimental

group.

In true experiments, the researcher has to change or manipulate the variable that is

hypothesized to affect the outcome variable that is being studied. The variable that the

researcher has control over is called the independent variable. The independent variable is

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also called the predictor variable because it is the presumed cause of the differences in the

outcome variable.

The outcome or effect that the research is studying is called the dependent variable.

The dependent variable is also called the outcome variable because it is the outcome that

the research is studying. The researcher does not manipulate the dependent variable.

Research participants have to be randomly assigned to the sample groups. In other

words, each research participant must have an equal chance of being assigned to each

sample group. Random assignment is useful in that it assures that the differences in the

groups are due to chance. Research participants have to be randomly assigned to either the

control or experimental group.

RELATED STUDIES

Larvicidal effect of Madre de Cacao Leaf Extract (Gliricidia sepium) on Mosquito

Larvae (Culex pipiens)

This study by Ma.C. Antonio, A. R. Antoy and J. Lumogda was conducted to

determine the level of effectiveness of Madre de Cacao (Gliricidia sepium) leaf extract as

a larvicide for household mosquitoes (Culex pipiens). It further looked into whether there

is no significant difference in the level of effectiveness of Madre de cacao leaf extract as

larvicide at different concentrations.

A total of 555 household mosquito larvae (Culex pipiens) were cultured and

treated with Madre de Cacao leaf extract. There were five treatments used which include

0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100 % of Madre de Cacao leaf extract. The Mean was used to

determine the level of effectiveness of Madre de Cacao leaf extract as larvicide described

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as less effective, moderately effective, effective and very effective. The ANOVA was used

to determine the significant difference in the level of effectiveness of different

concentrations of Madre de Cacao on household mosquito larvae (Culex pipiens) set at

0.01 level of significance.

The study showed that 50%, 75% and 100% concentration of extract were found

to be very effective in killing household mosquito larvae (Culex pipiens) while 25%

concentration of the extract came out only as effective. There was a significant difference

in the level of effectiveness of Madre de Cacao (Gliricidia sepium) leaf extract as larvicide

to household mosquitoes between 25% concentration and 50%, 75%, and 100%

concentration while there was no significant difference in the level of effectiveness of

Madre de Cacao leaf extract as larvicide when 50%, 75%, and 100% concentration were

used.

From the results of the study, Madre de cacao leaf extract can be a potential natural

larvicide on mosquitoes and can be an alternative substitute to commercial mosquito

pesticide. The researchers recommend the use of Madre de cacao leaf extract as an

alternative natural larvicide on household mosquitoes to reduce the side effect of using

commercial pesticides especially on places where the plant grows abundantly and to wet

places prone to mosquitoes. Further research is recommended on other potential use of

Madre de Cacao aside from its larvicidal effect.

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Madre De Cacao (Gliricidia Sepium) and Sinta (Andrographis Paniculata) Leaves

Extract as Botanical Animal Lice and Ticks Remover

This study was published on February 24, 2018 by L.M. Torres. The use of

chemical to control lice and ticks of animals especially on dogs is a usual thing to

individuals as this abound in many agrivet store in the market. The unusual way is that

many don’t know that this chemically compounded formula is harmful to animal,

environment and to human beings as well.

This study was conducted to help the dog owner control the rapid increase of

parasite population that becomes a menace not only to pests but also to humans since dogs

are considered part of the household. The formula, as lice and tick remover is botanical,

organic and the effect is not hazardous to animals.

This research used the experimental and descriptive method in order to observe and

ensure that the field trials measure accurately the effectivity as botanical control. Among

the three preparations used in the three trials, it was found out that the 2:2:2 made up of 2

cups of madre de cacao extract, 2 cups of sinta extract and two cups of coco milk that are

cooked to become oil is more effective that the other formula.

Nonedible Seed Oils as Insect Repellent

This study was published by M.W.Y. Khan, F. Ahmad, I. Ahmad and S.M. Osman

and was performed at the Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University. Petroleum

ether extracts of seeds at 10-1% concentration were tested for insecticidal activity against

stored grain insects, Tribolium castaneum Herbst., in the laboratory. About 50 oils were

tested, of which ten showed repellent, antifeedant property up to 1% concentration.

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 The insects used in the test were adult red flour beetles, Tribolium castaneum

Herbst. Seven- to 14-day old insects were reared on wheat flour with 5% brewer’s yeast

powder at 28 + 1 C temperature and 75 + 5% RH in BOD incubator.

Fifty seed oils were tested for repellent/antifeedant activity to adult Tribolium

castaneum Herbst. Only ten oils were found to be repellent. Glycosmispentapbylla and

Cardiospermum canescens were the most powerful repellents. They showed 51 and 50%

repellency at 1% concentration, respectively. All three members of the Solanaceae family

gave appreciable protective results. Heliotropium supinum at 1% concentration was least

active; it showed only 20% repellency, while at higher concentration it was moderate. Of

five seed oils of the Rutaceae family, only Glycosmis pentapbylla was found to be active

and it had the highest repellent activity. Polyaltbia longifolia and Annona squamosa of

Annonaceae family also showed high repellent activity at 1% concentration.

Based on the results, it was observed that in all cases there is a gradual fall in the

activity of oil with decrease of the concentration (P > 0.05). All oils used, except

Heliotropium supinum and Semicarpus anacardium, seem to be good repellents to adult

Tribolium castaneum Herbst, at 1% concentration (P > 0.05).

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