Palm wine has been discovered to be a potent source of semiochemicals, which can be utilized to repel Aedes mosquitoes from our surroundings.
Research published in the Journal of Biological Research & Biotechnology Bio-Research found that both up-palm and down-palm wines consistently repelled mosquitoes, with the repellent effect increasing over time.
In Nigeria, palm wine could be a cost-effective source of semiochemicals, despite its known attractiveness to Anopheles mosquitoes.
Palm wine is derived from palm sap, which is collected daily and allowed to ferment, resulting in a mixture of fresh and fermented products.
Semiochemicals, organic compounds that influence insect behavior, are detected by mosquitoes through their sense of smell, guiding their actions such as host location and egg-laying sites.
By harnessing this knowledge, researchers explored the use of semiochemicals to control mosquitoes. Using an olfactometer, the study tested mosquito responses to palm wine odors, releasing 10-12 adult female mosquitoes into a chamber and observing their movement towards or away from the odors.
The results showed that Aedes mosquitoes were consistently repelled by palm wine, with the intensity of repulsion increasing as the wine aged.
This finding contradicts the typical attraction of flies to palm wine, suggesting a unique response from Aedes mosquitoes in the locality.
According to the researchers, “Our results suggest that the volatiles in the batch of palm wine used in this study may have suppressed/countered the known capacity of carbon dioxide to attract mosquitoes.
“This unusual finding may be an indication of genetic change or the unlikely event that the palm wines may have been compromised, as unscrupulous tappers and traders are known to use sundry products to modify palm wines sold in the market.
“Aedes mosquito repellence in this study was certainly due to palm wine volatiles. This observation is explained by the intensification of the production of volatiles, which increased as time went on.
“In the final experiment, where up-palm and down-palm wines were applied, both showed this repulsive property to Aedes mosquitoes, and their effect seemed to be additive. Increased repellence of mosquitoes by palm wines with time may be reflected in the increased fermentation occurring in palm wines that produce more chemical compounds, such as alcohol, that may be responsible for increased repellence with time.
“From these findings, palm wine could be used as a standard where other substances that have related effects could be compared.”
Scientists have verified that people use plant-based products to defend against biting insects and various insect-borne diseases.
Since different mosquito species react uniquely to various chemicals and odors, a localized and multi-faceted approach to mosquito control is necessary. Utilizing palm wine, which is easily accessible and affordable for local communities, is one such method.
This adaptability leads to differences in the effectiveness of various control methods in managing mosquito populations specific to each area.
