IN-VITRO AND IN-VIVO EVALUATION OF Adansonia digitata AND Azadirachta indica WOOD ASH AS NATURAL REPELLENTS AND ACARICIDES AGAINST LICE INFESTATION IN POULTRY FARMS IN KADUNA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2026-1003-4741Keywords:
Adansonia digitata, Azadirachta indica, wood-ash, poultry lice, eco-acaricideAbstract
Poultry production supports food security and economic growth, yet infestations by wing lice (Lipeurus caponis) and chicken body louse (Menacanthus stramineus) threaten productivity. Synthetic insecticides/acaricides raise safety concerns, prompting the search for eco-friendly alternatives. The study evaluated the acaricidal (insecticidal) and repellency efficacy of wood ash from Adansonia digitata (baobab) and Azadirachta indica (neem) against poultry lice collected in a selected poultry farm located in Kaduna metropolis, Kaduna state Nigeria. The selected stem-barks of the trees were collected, authenticated, vouchered and processed to wood-ash at the Department of Biological Sciences, Kaduna State University; Geochemical analysis assessed metal content and pH (9.01–10.75). In-vitro repellency and kill-time assays (0.25–1.0 g/cm³) used 20–25 lice per trial, while in-vivo assays and hematological evaluations (50–150 g/kg) determined physiological effects. A. digitata (baobab) showed higher repellency (84.4% at 0.25 g/cm2) and faster mortality (40 min at 1.0 g/cm³) than A. indica. Acaricidal / Insecticidal bioassay reveals A. digitata (1.0 g/cm²) achieved 93.3% mortality by 48 hours, while A. indica. (neem) reached 78.3%. Wood ashes, particularly from A. digitata, offer eco-safe, effective alternatives for sustainable poultry lice management.
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