COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF NICOTIANA TABACUM L. EXTRACT BY POLAR AND NON-POLAR SOLVENTS ON MACROTERMES BELLICOSUS

Termites (Macrotermes bellicosus) are dominant invertebrate decomposers of dead organic matter in tropical and subtropical regions. Carrying out caste polyethism, these insects are key species in ecosystems as they recycle a large amount of nutrients, but they are also pests, exerting major economic impacts. Nicotiana tabacum, or cultivated tobacco, is an annually grown herbaceous plant that belongs to the family Solanaceae. However, the tobacco plant extract has been used for centuries for pesticidal and insecticidal purposes. It is of a great importance that the invasion of Macrotermes bellicosus be controlled with phytoextracts which are of negligible or no side effects on treated plants, readily available and of low cost rather than the use of termiticides which are of high cost and may leave treated plants with side effects. This study is aimed at the control of Macrotermes bellicosus using phytoextract of Nicotiana tabacum. Extractions were carried out on Nicotiana tabacum using water, alcohol (polar solvents), and n-hexane (nonpolar solvent) to make a comparative analysis. Twenty-four (24) petri dishes were divided into six (6) groups of four (4) for each of the extracts using polar and nonpolar solvents. Group 1, which is the negative control, was fumigated with 2ml of sterile distilled water, group 2, the positive control, with Termicide, and groups 3, 4, 5, and 6 with the plant extracts in concentrations of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%, respectively, and 10 termites were subjected to each petri dish. This procedure was repeated for extracts with polar and nonpolar solvents. Mortality data were taken on termites subjected to the process. The results were significantly compared, and the study recommended the use of the extracts of N. tabacum for termiticidal purposes.