Ethnobotanical survey of plants used as repellents against housefly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae) in Budondo Subcounty, Jinja District, Uganda
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Date
2018
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine
Abstract
The housefly, Musca domestica L., is a major public health and domestic pest that spoils food and
causes irritation and is a vector of many infectious disease pathogens of medical and veterinary importance.
Currently, its control relies largely on chemical pesticides. However, the adverse health and environmental effects of
pesticides, risk of development of insect resistance, and bioaccumulation through the food chain emphasize the need
to search for environmentally friendly alternatives. This study aimed at documenting traditional knowledge about
plants used as repellents against the houseflies by the people of Budondo Subcounty, Uganda.
Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted between November 2016 and June 2017. A total of 372
household members were interviewed on knowledge and use of traditional insect repellents, through face-toface
interviews guided by semi-structured questionnaires administered in nine villages in Budondo Subcounty.
Results: Overall, only 24.5% of the respondents had ample knowledge about insect repellent plants. A chi-square
analysis shows a significant association between respondents’ knowledge of insect repellent plants and age,
educational status, occupation, religion, and marital status although not with gender. Overall, eight plants
from seven families and eight genera were mentioned as repellents. The growth forms encountered were
tree, shrub, and herb. Plants that were commonly mentioned by respondents were Cupressus sempervirens L.
(16.9%), followed by Lantana camara L.(16.1%), Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (11.0%), Carica papaya L. (8.6%), Cymbopogon
citratus (de Candolle) Stapf (4.3%), Mentha × piperita L. (2.4%), Azadirachta indica A. Juss (2.2%), and Ocimum
kilimandscharicum Gürke (0.8%) in descending order. Leaves were the most commonly used plant part (76.9%),
followed by the stem/bark (19.8%), flowers (2.2%), and root (1.1%). Burning of the plant materials in order to generate
smoke was the most popular method of application.
Conclusions: This study has shown that there are many locally available plants in use by the people of Budondo
Subcounty with potency for repelling houseflies. Further studies are needed to identify bioactive compounds
responsible for the repellent activity in the different species which could be promoted as sustainable housefly
control tools in these remotely located communities of Budondo. Furthermore, studies on the efficacy of these repellent
plants or plant parts and their potential toxicological properties should be considered a priority.
Description
Keywords
Ethnobotanical knowledge, Insects, Uganda, Repellent plants
Citation
Baana, K., Angwech, H., & Malinga, G. M. (2018). Ethnobotanical survey of plants used as repellents against housefly, Musca domestica L.(Diptera: Muscidae) in Budondo Subcounty, Jinja District, Uganda. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, 14(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-018-0235-6