Science Investigatory Project

EVALUATION OF EUPHORBIA PLANT USED AS INSECTICIDE AGAINST DOMESTIC BUGS


















Pitogo High School
S.Y. 2008-2009
Negros St., Brgy. Pitogo
Makati City




Researchers:
Gian Carlo Delgado
Jonabelle Isla
(II-Sampaguita)












INTRODUCTION:
These days, people can’t oppose the boosting of the countless pest that disturbs our daily habits. That’s why we made a product that could be the answer for this problem that we all face. By mixing-up the three main elements of the by-product, the garlic, chili pepper, and Euphorbia, we come up to put up an alternative botanical insecticide that can kill harmful insects such as cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes and other plant insects. Even though there are hundreds of problems out there that is still unsolved, we choose this problem because this is one of the problems people really can’t solved quickly and could make houses “pest-free”.


Background of the Study:
Our all-natural insecticide derived from different plants could kill insect and pest anywhere, inside or outside of our home.

Talking about the main ingredients, the garlic, that was used throughout recorded history for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Aside from using garlic as a flavoring, it could also be a benefit to make insecticides. It has a powerful stimulating odor or flavor that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking. The property of the garlic that was considered as an effective force that can kill pests is its allicin. But, allicin is not seen in the garlic on its natural state, when chopped or crushed, the enzyme alliinase acts on the chemical alliin converting it to allicin. Alliin is an amino acid that does not build proteins. Alliinase has been demonstrated to be irreversibly deactivated below a pH of 3; as such, allicin is generally not produced in the body from consumed fresh or powdered garlic. Thus, it could kill insects because of its smell. Insects don’t like the smell of the garlic, which humans also dislike too. Being a strongly oxidizing compound, it protects garlic from attack by bacteria and insects by disabling the enzymes that are found in the substrate necessary for infections to occur, thus acting as a natural insecticide. It does so by attacking the SH groups found on their active sites. In the body, it oxidizes the hemoglobin in the blood to methemoglobin. Garlic could be found at any place here in the Philippines. But mostly, the best native garlic originates at Badoc Ilocos Norte. The Garlic helps the insecticide more effective due to its smell that usually insects don’t want. Garlic is said to be the foundation of many insecticidal formulations. It is also lets the insecticide to be more secure and natural.

For the siling labuyo, which can be purchased at any markets, was also proved to be an efficient ingredient in making insect repellants. Siling labuyo has an active component that is the capsaicin. It was said to be an irritant for mammals that causes a perception of burning of tissues that comes to a contact. Capsaicin is the primary ingredient of pepper sprays. With this and several related compounds, they are called as capsaicinoids. They are generated as a secondary metabolite by chili peppers, probably as preventive against herbivores and insects. They are called as secondary metabolite because they are organic compounds that are not directly involved in the normal growth, development or reproduction of organisms.
.Siling Labuyo is typically found at the Bicol region, specifically at the heart of Bicol region, Naga City.

While for the Milk Hedge, that is a part of the specie of Euphorbia was a cactus-like plant with spiny stems and flowers that are solitary, short and color yellow or green. This kind of Euphorbia has poisonous principle in all parts. That’s why; we mixed all parts of the Milk Hedge to our product. Those parts are the stems, leaves and the latex, which is the milky sap of the plant. Milk Hedge can be found at any place here in the Philippines.

Statement of the Problem: 1.) How do domestic bugs react when sprayed with an all-natural insecticide?
2.) Is euphorbia a good ingredient in making an organic insecticide?
3.) Are garlic and chili pepper a good addition to make an organic insecticide?
4.) Could we make a good all-natural insecticide in mixing euphorbia, garlic and chili pepper?
Hypotheses:
Therefore, euphorbia plant together with garlic and chili pepper is a good source in making an effective all-natural insecticide.

Significance of the Study: The purpose of every experiment conducted is to help people to extinguish pest that could destroy our daily routines. This problem could alter a huge population of persons that are tired of killing pests and could be also made in every house. This query is of current interest for many individuals, because almost all homeowners considered insects as one of the reasons why their life become

uneasy for them. 5million children are sensitive to cockroaches according to the pestworld.org. This could eliminate any existing pest infestation and prevent any future pest problems that could possibly go back again in your house. Our research findings may lead to some useful change in best practice because it could lessen the population of domestic bugs at every house.



Scope & Limitations: In this study we gathered evaluations on how effective an insecticide is with the combination of natural ingredients such as the euphorbia plant, garlic, and chili pepper. And also how do insects react when they are sprayed with it. We did not study the reaction of other domestic bugs such as termites, alupihan, and only concentrated to flies, cockroaches, mosquitoes and ants.



Methodology:

I. Materials
2 Jars of cutted euphorbia stems and leaves
2 pcs. of garlic
20 pcs. of siling labuyo Knife
Blender
Cutting Board
Filter Paper
Beaker
Sterilized Bottles
Funnel
Gloves
Mortar & Pestle
Misting Bottle
Pots
Hand towels
Apron


II. Procedure
Collect euphorbia stems and leaves that are required. Buy 20 pcs. of siling labuyo and 2 pcs.of garlic. Before anything else wash your hands thoroughly. Wear your apron incase you get dirty. Remove the thorns of the euphorbia stem and cut the stem into pieces. Together with the leaves wash the euphorbia stems and leaves. While waiting for the stems and leaves to be dry, peel the garlic until it become garlic cloves. Put the garlic cloves in the mortar and pestle, and begin pounding the garlic cloves. Then start chopping the garlic cloves into tiny ones. Now, with the help of the gloves, chop the bird’s eye chili pepper or in Tagalog siling labuyo also into small ones carefully. When the stems and leaves are already dry, mix it in the blender so that you could separate the dagta from the leaves and stems. After the pounding, chopping, cutting and mixing, put all the ingredients on a cooking pot except the garlic cloves. Then, put it on the beaker together with the garlic that hasn’t been boiled. Using a filtering paper and a funnel, filter it and put to another beaker or bottle instead. Repeat the step until no excess ingredients that you can see in the bottom of the beaker or bottle. Place the finished product on the misting bottle. Finally, you can use it to kill insects and pest in your house.


Recommendations: In using the insecticide, wear gloves and stand clear of the mist. Never spray where there is high wind. Prevent spraying serviceable insects. Wash your hands thoroughly after spraying especially before eating or washing. Be sure to follow the procedure to avoid problems. Remember to boil the euphorbia and chili pepper at 210-220 °C. Be careful in chopping the chili pepper to avoid irritating one’s eye or other parts of the body.

Bibliography: http://www.stuartxchange.org/SoroSoro.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chili_pepper
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsaicin
http://www.3dchem.com/moremolecules.asp?ID=156&othername=Smell+of+garlic
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=13937315

WeLcOmE, eNjOy!

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