Efficacy of essential oils from Ginger and Citronella to killed sticktight fleas (Echidnophaga gallinacean) in Chicken

Abstract

         Efficacy of essential oil from citronella (Cymbopogon nardus Rendle.) and ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) to eliminate the stick tight fleas in common pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) were divided into 4 groups as 4% citronella oil, 4% ginger oil, commercial insecticide (Trichlorfon^®) and negative control (diluent). The solutions were sprayed around the area with fleas at 1 milliliter per kilogram bodyweight. Fleas were counted before treatment and after 1-day, 7-day, and 14-day treatments. According to the efficacy to eliminate the stick tight fleas, it was found that Trichlorfon^® had the lowest flea detection with extremely statistically significant p value less than 0.001 after 1-day treatment while other groups did not show any significant differences. At day 7 and 14 post treatment, there no detectable fleas in the Trichlorfon^® group while the citronella and ginger oil groups showed flea reductions detected at day 7 and the highest reduction at day 14.  There was extremely significant difference (p<0.001) in the reduction at day 14 between the citronella and ginger oil groups and the negative control group. The citronella oil had significantly higher flea reduction than the ginger oil (p<0.05), and no significant difference was found between the citronella oil and Trichlorfon^®. In conclusion, this study found that citronella and ginger essential oils are alternative herbs that can eliminate external parasites. Although it takes longer than commercial insecticides, less residue without doing any harm to consumers is left behind and can be utilized in organic animal production.