Efficacy of Herbal Fly Repellent Product (Keetguard Liquid) to Control Musca Domestica Population in Poultry Egg Layer Farm

Abstract

The housefly Musca domestica L. is recognized as a public health pest causing a serious threat to human and livestock by vectoring many infectious diseases. Chemical control method commonly used against this pest, though effective, has some major disadvantages, such as development of insect resistance and bioaccumulation. Therefore the efficacy of a herbal fly repellent Keetguard Liquid (supplied by M/S Ayurvet Limited, Baddi, H.P., India) was evaluated in vivo on the layer farm as well as in vitro. For in vivo trial the keetguard was used at the concentrations of 1:20 (Group-I recommended for application on body) in one shed and 1:40 (Group-II, recommended for application in premises) in another shed. Another shed kept as control (Group-III) was sprayed with plain water. The herbal fly repellant product was assessed for fly repellent and larvicidal effect and for its efficacy to minimize the count of larvae. In both the treatment groups, the fly repellency recorded during first 2-6 hrs was satisfactory. However, the fly population observed at the end of the week was encouraging in group-I due to its larvicidal effect. The probit analysis to draw Effective Concentration 50 (EC50) showed 43.66 ml/lit as EC50. The in vitro comparative efficacy study was conducted on third stage larvae of Musca spp. divided equally in 4 groups and exposed to 1:20, 1:40 (two different concentrations) of KEETGUARD LIQUID, a standard pyrethroid insecticide ‘Cypermethrin (1%)’ and control (plain water) respectively as group-I: 1:20 concentration of Keetguard liquid Group-II: 1:40 concentration of Keetguard liquid, group-III: standard pyrethroids insecticide ‘Cypermethrin (1%) and group-IV: control (plain water). In invitro study, higher efficacy (95 %) was recorded in group-I as compared to group-II (66.66%) and the standard insecticide-Cypermethrin-1% (100%) while similar trend of efficacy (90.69% in G-I and only 65.76% in G-II) was observed during in vivo field experimentation. The plant based herbal  product Keetguard is efficacious as a fly repellent against house fly Musca spp. in egg layer poultry farm in both 1:20 & 1:40 dilution. In addition, it also has larvicidal potential against 3rd stage of larvae of Musca spp. considering the detrimental effects of chemical fly repellents and insecticides on the environment and human health, Keetguard Liquid was found better option for control of fly population in and around poultry layer farms.