PISCICIDAL ACTIVITY OF CASTOR OIL PLANT (Ricinus communis)

AGAINST NILE TILAPIA (Oreochromis niloticus Linn) and

AFRICAN CATFISH (Clarias gariepenus Burchelle)

Michael Jay L. Trapse, Allan Joseph V. Ordoña, Lloyd Lois Antonie S. Reyes,
Mark Denver B. Rivera, and Joshua Angco Seguban

ABSTRACT

The study assessed the piscicidal activity of Castor Oil Plant (R. communis) against

two freshwater fishes; Nile Tilapia (O. niloticus) and African Catfish (C. gariepenus). It

focused mainly on the determination of the lethal concentrations (LC50 and LC100) leaves,

stems, and fruits extract of the plant through a static bioassay test.

Based on the 24-hr lethal concentration, the plant part with the greatest piscicidal

activity against O. niloticus and C. gariepenus was the fruits. The toxicity to Nile Tilapia

of the three plant parts arranged in decreasing toxicity is as follows: fruits (15.83 mL.L-1),

leaves (30.16 mL.L-1), stems (111.67 mL.L-1). For African Catfish, the toxicity of the plant

parts arranged in decreasing toxicity is as follows: fruits (7.5 mL.L-1), leaves (14.53 mL.L-
1
), stems (56.11 mL.L-1).

The results of the study showed that Castor Oil Plant has the potential to be utilized

as fish toxicant which can be used as an alternative to harmful chemical piscicides to

eradicate unwanted fishes in aquaculture ponds.