The potential for antitick plants as components of an integrated tick control strategy

Abstract

Extracts from various African plants have been shown to possess strong acaricidal and/or tick repellent properties. Some of the plant extracts are capable of reducing tick feeding, molting, fecundity, and viability of eggs. Pasture grasses capable of repelling, trapping, and killing ticks have also been reported. These grasses possess hairs (trichomes) that retard ticks from climbing to the top of the grasses in order to attach themselves to passing animals. Furthermore, some grass species, such as Stylosanthes, produce viscous fluids that poison and kill ticks. Results obtained with antitick plants are presented in this paper and feasibility of using them in an integrated tick control strategy is discussed.