Assessment of Food Processing Wastes as Potential Natural Insecticides Against Termites

The efficacy of food processing wastes from commonly consumed food produce in Nigeria in the control of termites was investigated in the laboratory. The wastes; Garri Processing Water (GPW), Fufu Processing Water (FPW), Fufu Supernatant Water (FSW), Pap Processing Water (PPW), Pap Supernatant Water (PSW) and Locust beans Processing Water (LPW), were assayed at three concentrations 25, 50 and 100% with a standard termiticide (Chloropyrifos) and a control treatment for comparison. The mortality rates achieved by most of the various concentrations of the food wastes from the 60th min differed significantly (p< 0.05) from their controls. However, there was no significant different (p>0.05) between the mortality rates of the standard termiticide and GPW, PPW and PSW at 100 and 50% treatment levels at the end of the exposure period. Mortality increased with period of exposure of the termites to these potential natural insecticides and at the least treatment level of 25%, GPW, PPW and PSW achieved termite mortality as high as 72-76% at the 240th min of exposure, while FPW, FSW and LPW gave a low mortality of between 30- 34%. A very low mortality rate of between 0-42% was achieved by all the wastes assayed within the first 60 min when compared with the standard termiticides that achieved a 100% kill of the termites in the 80th min for all applications. However, no mortalities were recorded in the control cages throughout the exposure period.