Ethnobotanical survey of plants locally used in the control of termite pests among rural communities in northern Uganda
Abstract Background Termites are the most destructive pests in many agricultural and forest plantations in Uganda. Current control of termites mostly relies on chemical pesticides. However, the adverse effects of chemical insecticides necessitate the need to search for and popularize the usage of en...
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CABI
2022-06-01
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| Series: | CABI Agriculture and Bioscience |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s43170-022-00109-3 |
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| author | Betty C. Okori Christine Oryema Robert Opiro Acur Amos Gilbert I. Obici Karlmax Rutaro Geoffrey M. Malinga Eric Sande |
| author_facet | Betty C. Okori Christine Oryema Robert Opiro Acur Amos Gilbert I. Obici Karlmax Rutaro Geoffrey M. Malinga Eric Sande |
| author_sort | Betty C. Okori |
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| description | Abstract Background Termites are the most destructive pests in many agricultural and forest plantations in Uganda. Current control of termites mostly relies on chemical pesticides. However, the adverse effects of chemical insecticides necessitate the need to search for and popularize the usage of environmentally safer options. Plants represent one of the most accessible resources available for termite control by communities in Uganda. However, limited documented information exists for their contribution in the management of except through verbal sharing. This study aimed at assessing the communities’ knowledge about plants traditionally used in controlling termites among selected communities in Apac District, northern Uganda. Method An ethnobotanical survey was conducted between November 2016 and February 2017 in 12 randomly selected villages in the sub counties of Apac and Ibuje of Apac District, northern Uganda. Open-ended questionnaire interviews were used to gather ethnobotanical and sociodemographic data. A total of 381 indigenous people were interviewed [male, 281 (73.8); female, 100 (26.2)]. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), and the relative frequency of citation (RFC) was determined. Results Overall, 70.9% of the respondents were knowledgeable about plants used for control of termites. There was a significant association between respondents’ knowledge of pesticidal plants with age and gender but not with education status. A total of 11 plant species belonging to eight families were identified to be in use for control of termites in Apac. Solanaceae, Eurphorbiaceae and Asteraceae were the most represented families with two species each, while the rest of the families had only one species mentioned. According to the relative frequency of citation (RFC), Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. (RFC = 0.43), Vernonia amygdalina Delile (0.18) and Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray (0.10) were the most used in the control of termites in the study area. Fruits (45.9%) and leaves (29.2%) were the most used plant parts. Squeezing, crushing and chopping of the plant materials were the most popular methods of preparation and water extract was the commonest mode of formulation of plant parts. Conclusions The study has shown that rural populations of the targeted localities possess indigenous knowledge on anti-termitid plants. However, screening is urgently needed to validate their bioactivity and to determine the bioactive constituents responsible for killing the invertebrates in pest management. Furthermore, simple methods for local propagation and cultivation are needed to ensure a sustainable supply of termicidal plant biomass. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c77bc2b0daa14c87a99c4eb91edacd10 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2662-4044 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | CABI |
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| series | CABI Agriculture and Bioscience |
| spelling | doaj-art-c77bc2b0daa14c87a99c4eb91edacd102025-02-03T02:01:14ZengCABICABI Agriculture and Bioscience2662-40442022-06-013111010.1186/s43170-022-00109-3Ethnobotanical survey of plants locally used in the control of termite pests among rural communities in northern UgandaBetty C. Okori0Christine Oryema1Robert Opiro2Acur Amos3Gilbert I. Obici4Karlmax Rutaro5Geoffrey M. Malinga6Eric Sande7Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Gulu UniversityDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, Gulu UniversityDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, Gulu UniversityNational Crops Resources Research InstituteDepartment of Public Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, Lira UniversityDepartment of Biochemistry and Sports Science, College of Natural Sciences, Makerere UniversityDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, Gulu UniversityDepartment of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences, Makerere University College of Natural SciencesAbstract Background Termites are the most destructive pests in many agricultural and forest plantations in Uganda. Current control of termites mostly relies on chemical pesticides. However, the adverse effects of chemical insecticides necessitate the need to search for and popularize the usage of environmentally safer options. Plants represent one of the most accessible resources available for termite control by communities in Uganda. However, limited documented information exists for their contribution in the management of except through verbal sharing. This study aimed at assessing the communities’ knowledge about plants traditionally used in controlling termites among selected communities in Apac District, northern Uganda. Method An ethnobotanical survey was conducted between November 2016 and February 2017 in 12 randomly selected villages in the sub counties of Apac and Ibuje of Apac District, northern Uganda. Open-ended questionnaire interviews were used to gather ethnobotanical and sociodemographic data. A total of 381 indigenous people were interviewed [male, 281 (73.8); female, 100 (26.2)]. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), and the relative frequency of citation (RFC) was determined. Results Overall, 70.9% of the respondents were knowledgeable about plants used for control of termites. There was a significant association between respondents’ knowledge of pesticidal plants with age and gender but not with education status. A total of 11 plant species belonging to eight families were identified to be in use for control of termites in Apac. Solanaceae, Eurphorbiaceae and Asteraceae were the most represented families with two species each, while the rest of the families had only one species mentioned. According to the relative frequency of citation (RFC), Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. (RFC = 0.43), Vernonia amygdalina Delile (0.18) and Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray (0.10) were the most used in the control of termites in the study area. Fruits (45.9%) and leaves (29.2%) were the most used plant parts. Squeezing, crushing and chopping of the plant materials were the most popular methods of preparation and water extract was the commonest mode of formulation of plant parts. Conclusions The study has shown that rural populations of the targeted localities possess indigenous knowledge on anti-termitid plants. However, screening is urgently needed to validate their bioactivity and to determine the bioactive constituents responsible for killing the invertebrates in pest management. Furthermore, simple methods for local propagation and cultivation are needed to ensure a sustainable supply of termicidal plant biomass.https://doi.org/10.1186/s43170-022-00109-3EthnobotanicalsIndigenous knowledgeLangiMacrotermes |
| spellingShingle | Betty C. Okori Christine Oryema Robert Opiro Acur Amos Gilbert I. Obici Karlmax Rutaro Geoffrey M. Malinga Eric Sande Ethnobotanical survey of plants locally used in the control of termite pests among rural communities in northern Uganda CABI Agriculture and Bioscience Ethnobotanicals Indigenous knowledge Langi Macrotermes |
| title | Ethnobotanical survey of plants locally used in the control of termite pests among rural communities in northern Uganda |
| title_full | Ethnobotanical survey of plants locally used in the control of termite pests among rural communities in northern Uganda |
| title_fullStr | Ethnobotanical survey of plants locally used in the control of termite pests among rural communities in northern Uganda |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ethnobotanical survey of plants locally used in the control of termite pests among rural communities in northern Uganda |
| title_short | Ethnobotanical survey of plants locally used in the control of termite pests among rural communities in northern Uganda |
| title_sort | ethnobotanical survey of plants locally used in the control of termite pests among rural communities in northern uganda |
| topic | Ethnobotanicals Indigenous knowledge Langi Macrotermes |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s43170-022-00109-3 |
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