DRIED FLOWER OF KAMANSI (Artocarpus camansi) AS MOSQUITO REPELLANT

An Investigatory Project Mother Goose Special Science High School San Carlos City, Pangasinan

By Justine Emil Lacerona

INTRODUCTION

The country is facing a lot of problems. One of it is the rising cases of dengue fever. The main culprit of the disease is the most deadliest animal in the world the mosquito. The rising cost of goods is also a social problem especially to those who are less fortunate. The cost of commercially available insect repellant is also on the rise. The common people would rather buy the food that they need than buying insect repellant to ward off mosquitoes. Thereby they sacrifice health issue in this matter. To answer this issues, we find ways to lessen the impact of the problem to our country as well as our community. We choose to study the flower of a local tree kamansi or pekak (artocarpus camansi) as an alternative mosquito repellant or use in lieu of the commercially available katol mosquito repellant .

METHODOLOGY
Sampling procedure
Kamansi flower were gathered at one source (San Pedro, San Carlos City, Pangasinan). The study made use of gathered fallen flower of a kamansi tree (artocarpus camansi).The study also made of the natural process of dehydration which is sun drying.

Data Gathering Procedure Materials used in the investigation

The study made use of collected fallen flower fom a kamansi tree about 10 pcs. The experiment was conducted using 1 bilao for drying, sharp knife, match and a pack of commercially available insect repellant katol .

Preparation of natural repellant

The collected flower of kamansi (artocarpus camansi) was prepared following the procedures as follows: 1.) 10pcs of fallen kamansi flower were gathered and collected from a

kamansi tree; 2.) the flowers were split using a sharp knife while some small flower were left as it is (splitting of the flower was done to hasten the drying); 3.) the flower were placed in a bilao and were sun dried for 1week; 4.) the dried flower were kept in a dry container.

Testing Procedure of the Natural repellant

1. Get one or two dried flower of kamansi and light with the use of a match. 2. Place the lit flower in a room tag as ROOM-1 with mosquitoes present in the area making use of its dried stem as a hanger. 3. Do not place lit flower near objects that easily catch fire. 4. In another room tag as ROOM-2 with mosquito present, place a commercially available repellant katol and light with the use of a match.

ANALYSIS
After observing the two rooms ROOM-1 and ROOM-2 with mosquitoes present, we found that the mosquitoes were agitated and left the two rooms. The natural repellant dried kamansi flower was as much effective as the commercially available repellant katol in warding off the mosquitoes from the two rooms. As with the emitted smoke of the two repellants. The commercially available repellant katol was more stronger in odor than the natural repellant dried kamansi flower. In the experiment, we found out that the smoke odor of the natural repellant dried kamansi flower was far more acceptable than the commercial repellant katol .

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

CONCLUSIONS:
Based on the significant findings of the study, the following conclusions are presented: 1.) The dried flower of kamansi (artocarpus camansi) can be an alternative mosquito repellant even more effective than the commercially available katol . 2.) The level of satisfaction in terms of the odor emitted by the dried flower kamansi is more acceptable than the commercially available katol

RECOMMENDATIONS: Based on the conclusions of the study, the following recommendations are offered: 1.) Use dried flower of kamansi as an alternative mosquito repellant. 2.) In-depth research on the other functional properties of the kamansi flower is recommended. 3.) Study on the use of other locally available flower of grown trees for making alternative repellant is also recommended.