The evaluation of the efficacy of natural (plant) insecticides in managing household insects against chemical insecticides
Republic of Iraq, Ministry of Education, Salah al-Din Education Directorate-Samarra Education Department
Research Article
International Journal of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences Archive, 2026, 11(02), 175-183.
Article DOI: 10.53771/ijbpsa.2026.11.2.0056
Publication history:
Received on 28 April 2026; revised on 05 June 2026; accepted on 08 June 2026
Abstract:
The current study was carried out to test the effectiveness of some plant-based insecticides in relation to a chemical insecticide against some household pests. Three different types of insects; Periplaneta americana, Musca domestica, and Culex pipiens were used. Plant extracts such as neem, garlic, chili, and peppermint were tested along with the chemical insecticide, cypermethrin, and their combined use.
The results showed significant differences among treatments (P ≤ 0.05). The combined treatment achieved the highest mortality rates, followed by the chemical insecticide, while plant extracts exhibited moderate effectiveness. Among the plant-based treatments, peppermint oil showed the highest level of activity. Insect mortality increased over time, and susceptibility varied among the tested species.
These findings suggest that combining plant-based and chemical insecticides improves effectiveness and may provide a more sustainable approach for household insect control.
Keywords:
Plant-based insecticides; Chemical insecticides; Integrated pest control; Periplaneta americana; Musca domestica; Culex pipiens; Neem extract
Full text article in PDF:
Copyright information:
Copyright © 2026 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0