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© 2019 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

COMPARATIVE LARVICIDAL EFFICACY OF Carica Papaya LEAVES AND SEED 
EXTRACT ON MOSQUITO LARVAL POPULATION IN RICE FIELDS IN BIDA 
METROPOLIS, NIGER STATE   

 

 

 Adamu, B.B1 

 Ayisa T.T2 + 

 Ideh, R.R3 

 Oyedokun, N4 

 

1,3,4National Biotechnology Development Agency, Abuja, Nigeria. 

 
2Department of Biological Science, The Federal Polytechnic Bida, Nigeria. 

 
 
 

 
(+ Corresponding author) 

 ABSTRACT 
 
Article History 
Received: 7 May 2019 
Revised: 11 June 2019 
Accepted: 17 July 2019 
Published: 2 September 2019 
 
 

Keywords 
Carica papaya 
Larvae 
Rice 
Mosquito 
Concentration 
Breeding 
Habitats. 

 
This study elucidates the susceptibility of leaf and seed extract of Carica papaya on 
mosquito population breeding in rice fields. The study was conducted in Bida, Niger 
State using two rice fields sampled for two weeks. Mosquito immature stages (Larvae) 
were used throughout for the experiment. The leaf and seed extract of Carica papaya 
were prepared on instars and evaluated Larva stages were evaluated in the laboratory. 
Mosquito instars larvae stages (L3-L4) were exposed to a concentration of 10mg/ml, 
20mg/ml, 30mg/ml, 40mg/ml, and 50mg/ml of each prepared Larvicide, (Leave and 
seed extract of Carica papaya) within 24hours, the percentage mean survival of the 
Larvae were recorded. At a concentration of 10mg/ml, 100% of the Larvae died within 
3 to 12hours of exposure to seed and leave extract of Carica papaya. The mosquito 
growth and development were inhibited. However, both the leave and seed of Carica 
papaya can be used to control mosquito breeding in anthropogenic habitats of which the 
seed of Carica papaya is the most effective, especially in rice fields.  
 

Contribution/Originality: The study contributes to existing literature by the ways to control mosquito larvae 

infested farmlands using Carica papaya seeds extract. It employs sequential estimation formula which determines 

the concentration of extracts which mosquito larvae are susceptible.  

 

1. INTRODUCTION 

Mosquito are the most important vectors of pathogenic organisms. Understanding the spatiotemporal 

distribution of risk for mosquito-borne infections is an important step in planning and implementing effective 

control measures [1]. Based on fossil evidence, it is estimated that mosquitoes may have originated in the early 

tertiary period, some 70 million years ago or even earlier. Mosquitoes, because of their biting nuisance and their 

role in transmission of deadly human disease organisms are extremely important insects belonging to the Family 

Culicidae in the Order Diptera [2]. Mosquitoes can colonize a very diverse aquatic habitat types in terms of size 

and nature, including ponds, swamps, river and stream banks, salt water marshes, polluted water in septic tanks, 

rock pools, tree holes, discarded domestic containers, discarded tires, plant axils and pitcher plants, rice fields, etc. 

[3]. Mosquitoes are important vectors of several tropical diseases in humans; including malaria, filariasis, and 

numerous viral diseases, such as dengue, dengue hemorrhagic fever, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis. An 

estimated two billion people world-wide live in areas where these diseases are endemic [2].  

Current Research in Agricultural Sciences 
2019 Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 115-120 
ISSN(e): 2312-6418 
ISSN(p): 2313-3716 
DOI: 10.18488/journal.68.2019.62.115.120 
© 2019 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 
 
 

 
 

 

 
 
 
 

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4696-0528
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0000-4859
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0591-742X
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4921-1223
https://www.doi.org/10.18488/journal.68.2019.62.115.120


Current Research in Agricultural Sciences, 2019, 6(2): 115-120 

 

 
116 

© 2019 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

Mosquitoes are distributed throughout the world. Some species exist at altitudes of <14,000 feet; while others 

can inhabit mines that are 3,760 feet below the sea level. Species range in latitudes northward from the tropics to 

the Arctic regions and Southward to the ends of the Continents. A wingless species has been reported to exist in 

Antarctica, while many species do exist in the most remote deserts [4]. There are about 3000 species of mosquitoes 

distributed world-wide. Of these, about 100 species are vectors of human diseases.  

With Anopheles mosquitoes alone, about 380 species occur around the world; some 60 species are sufficiently 

attracted to humans to act as vector of malaria. A number of two Anophelesspecies are also vectors of filariasis and 

viral diseases [5]. About 550 species of Culex have been described, most of them from tropical and subtropical 

regions [6]. Mosquito constitute serious threat to the health of the people living in area where mosquito 

transmitted diseases are prevalent as a result of suitable breeding habitat. The use of lavicide is one of the hopes to 

the eradication of these vectors but the recent resistance shown by these methods as lead to the increase in the cost 

of control. It is therefore important to know the lavicide that has achieved the status of resistivity [7]. 

The aim of the study therefore was to know the effect or activity of the leaf and seed extract of Carica papaya on 

mosquito larval population and their resistance breeding in rice-field. 

 

2. MATERIALS AND METHOD 

2.1. Study Area 

This study was carried out in Bida LGA of Niger State during the raining season of 2018. Bida is situated 85 

km away from Minna the capital city of Niger State, it is between Latitude 9.08330N, and Longitude 6.01670 E, the 

maximum and minimum temperature within the months ranges from 410C and 170C. prior to 2018 rainy season, 

two sites were located for the study and they are located at Banyagi and Edogifu rice-fields along State Polytechnic 

Bida, between August and September [8]. 

 

2.2. Sampling of Mosquito Larval 

A sequential sampling technique, such as that developed by O’Malley [9] was used to estimate larval 

abundance in the breeding sites. Larva dipper was dipped inside the water several times to ascertain if mosquito’s 

larvae are in abundance in the selected breeding sites [9]. 

The method described below will enables an inspector to rank a pool as without larvae or with larvae at a low, 

moderate or high level. If the number of larvae collected in at least 5 dips is 31 or more, the site is rated as “high”. If 

only 1 or 2 larvae are collected in 10 dips, the site is rated as “low”. If no larvae are collected, the site is rated as 

“nil”. 10 dips must be taken to distinguish between “moderate and “high” [10]. 

 

2.3. Larval Collection 

Mosquito larvae was collected by using standard dipper of 300 mL capacity to scoop water that contained 

larvae in to a 9 litre plastic buckets [11]. Each of the stages of the larvae (L1 – L4) following the WHO standard 

and was taken into the laboratory, larvae will be separated into 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th instars. The larvae was fed with 

fish feed collected from fish pond and was maintain at ambient temperature. 

 

2.4. Collection of Plant Material  

The leaves and seeds of Carica papaya was collected from Science Laboratory Technology (SLT) Garden and 

washed thoroughly, blotted and shade dried at room temperature for about 15 days. The dry samples was taken to 

the laboratory and grind with a blender into powder forms. 

 

 

 



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2.5. Preparation of Extract 

Two hundred and fifty grams (250gm) of dry powder sample of the leave and seeds of carica papaya wad 

dissolved in 200 mL of acetone (as a solvent) and were left to stand at room temperature for 72 hours. The mixtures 

were filtered through a muslin cloth then with a whatman foil filter paper by suction. The filtrate was evaporated 

under vacuum evaporator at 450c until completely dried. 

 

2.6. Preparation of Stock Solution and Different Concentrations of Leave Extract 

One gram of the concentrated extracts of dried leaves and seed of Carica papaya was dissolved in 1000ml of 

distilled water and was kept as stock (10 mg/mL) solution. This stock solution was used to prepare the desired 

concentrations of the extracts for exposure of the mosquito larvae. 

 

2.7. Bioassay of Larvae with Larvicide 

In the present of experiment, bioassays were carried out on the mosquito Larvae to compare the effectiveness of 

the larvicide in each concentration and the treatment of Larvae with larvicide was conducted following the WHO 

standard procedure [11]. Twenty five (25) larvae (L3 – L4) were placed in a plastic bowls of about 200 mL capacity. 

The 100 mL of distilled water was measured and dispensed in the plastic bowls and was replicated three times for 

each treatment as well as the control. 

Five different concentrations of the two larvicides (leaf and seed extract of Carica papaya) were used against the 

3rd and 4th instars larvae in the bioassays. Distilled water was used as control. The number of Larvae surviving at 

the end of 24 hours was recorded and the survival rate (mean ± S.D) was calculated. 

 

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

3.1. Results 

3.1.1. Survival Rate (mean ± S.D) o Mosquitoes during 24 Hour Exposure to Leave Extract of Carica Papaya 

Table 1 shows the mean ± standard deviation of survival rate of early instars larval (L3-L4) stage of mosquito 

on expose to leave extract of Carica papaya. The result reveals a increase in mortality as the concentration of the 

leave extract of Carica papaya increases (10mg/ml – 50mg/ml). However, highest mortality with a concentration of 

50mg/ml (i.e. lowest survivorship) was recorded at 6th hour with zero survivorship occurring at the 12th hours 

however, total survivorship was zero irrespective of the treatment concentration. On the other hand, mean 

survivorship for the control shows mortality at a percentage survival of 100% which was recorded even at the 24th 

hours of the set up. 

 

3.1.2. Survival Rate (mean ± S.D) of Mosquitoes during 24 Hour Exposure to Seed Extract of Carica Papaya 

Table 2 shows the mean ± standard deviation of survival rate of instars larval (L3-L4) stage of mosquito on 

exposure to seed extract of Carica papaya. 

The result reveals an increase in mortality as the concentration of the seed extract of Carica papaya increases (5 

mg/mL – 50 mg/mL). However, highest mortality with a concentration of 50 mg/mL with a concentration of 50 

mg/mL (i.e. lowest survivorship) was recorded at 3 hours with zero survivorship occurring at the 6th hour. After 

the 24th hour however, total survivorship was zero irrespective of the treatment concentration. On the other hand, 

mean survivorship for the control show mortality at percentage survival of 100% which was recorded even at the 

24th hour of the set up. 



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Table-1. Survival rate (mean ± S.D) of mosquitoes during a 24 hour exposure to leave extract of Carica papaya. 

Treatment 0 min 10 min 20 min 30 min Duration 1 hours 3 hours 6 hours 12 hours 24 hours 

Control 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 
10mg/ml 25.00±0.00 23.67±0.58 21.67±2.51 20.67±2.08 19.33±2.30 15.33±1.52 9.33±2.51 2.67±1.52 0.00±0.00 
20mg/ml 25.00±0.00 23.67±0.58 21.67±0.58 20.00±1.00 15.67±2.09 11.00±1.00 6.67±2.89 1.67±0.58 0.00±0.00 

30mg/ml 25.00±0.00 22.67±0.58 22.00±0.00 21.00±0.00 18.33±0.58 15.00±2.00 10.33±1.52 3.33±0.58 0.00±0.00 
40mg/ml 25.00±0.00 22.33±0.58 20.33±2.09 19.67±1.52 15.00±1.00 11.67±1.16 6.67±1.15 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 
50mg/ml 25.00±0.00 23.00±1.00 20.00±1.00 19.33±1.52 17.00±1.00 13.00±1.00 10.00±2.00 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 

 

Table-2. Survival rate (mean ± S.D) of mosquitoes during a 24hour exposure to seed extract of Carica papaya. 

Treatment 0 min 10 min 20 min 30 min Duration 1 hours 3 hours 6 hours 12 hours 24 hours 

Control 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 25.00±0.00 
5mg/ml 25.00±0.00 23.67±0.58 20.33±1.15 12.33±2.09 5.33±1.52 2.00±1.73 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 

10mg/ml 25.00±0.00 23.00±1.00 20.33±0.57 11.33±2.30 4.33±2.31 2.33±1.52 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 
15mg/ml 25.00±0.00 23.67±0.57 21.33±1.52 13.67±2.09 7.00±2.64 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 
20mg/ml 25.00±0.00 22.67±0.58 19.00±1.00 10.00±3.61 4.33±4.93 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 
25mg/ml 25.00±0.00 23.33±0.58 19.33±1.15 10.67±1.15 5.33±1.52 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 
50mg/ml 25.00±0.00 23.33±0.58 20.66±0.58 9.67±1.52 5.00±1.00 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 

 



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4. DISCUSSION  

4.1. Survival Rate (mean ± S.D) Of Mosquitoes during 24 Hours Exposure to Leave Extract of Carica Papaya 

The result of this study shows that mosquitoes larval (L3-L4) were susceptible to leave extract of Carica papaya. 

This corresponds to the study of Arizona [12]. The result of this study shows that all larvae exposed to leave 

extract of Carica papaya died at the 24th hour with the lowest concentration of 10 mg/mL while with the highest 

concentration of 50 mg/mL they died at 12hour of exposure to the leave extract of Carica papaya. 

Survival rate (mean ± SD) or mosquitoes during 24 hours exposure to seed extract of Carica papaya. The result 

of this study shows that mosquitoes larval (L3-L4) were susceptible to seed extract of Carica papaya. This 

correspond to the study of Briegel [13]. The result of this study shows that all the larvae (L3-L4) expose to seed 

extract of Carica papaya died at the 6thhour with the lowest concentration of 5mg/ml while with the highest 

concentration of 50 mg/mL they died at the 3hours of exposure to the seed extract of Carica papaya. 

Therefore, between the two larvicides, seed extract of Carica papaya claims to be more effective because all the 

larvae instars died within 3 hours at the highest concentration of 50 mg/mL. 

 

5. CONCLUSION 

The finding of this study shows that the two larvicides (Leave and seed extract of Carica papaya) recommended 

by World Health Organization are still susceptible by mosquitoes and should be sued properly. Therefore the 

application of leave and seed extract of Carica papya as larvicides will help to reduce the population of mosquitoes in 

Bida, Nigeria and Worldwide. 

 

Funding: This study received no specific financial support.    
Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.  
Acknowledgement: All authors contributed equally to the conception and design of the study. 

 

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