Experimental Data Analysis of Insect Mortality Using Plant-Based Treatments

This project involved the statistical analysis of an experimental insect mortality study to evaluate the effectiveness of various plant-based treatments over time. The goal was to determine which botanical treatments had the highest insecticidal properties and relate mortality outcomes to phytochemical composition. The study illustrates a full data science pipeline — from descriptive analysis to statistical testing and scientific interpretation. Study Design and Objectives: Aim: Evaluate how mortality of insects varies with treatment type and time Treatments: Included essential oils and aqueous extracts of plants like Marigold and Tithonia, along with combination treatments and a control Goals: Compare mortality rates across treatments and time intervals Identify the most effective treatment Investigate the relationship between phytochemical compounds and insect mortality Tools and Statistical Techniques: Language: R (assumed based on author expertise) Techniques Used: Descriptive statistics and time-series plotting for mortality trends ANOVA (Analysis of Variance): to test for significant differences in treatment effects Post-hoc interpretation to rank treatment effectiveness Correlation analysis linking phytochemical presence (e.g., flavonoids, phenols) to mortality outcomes Key Results: Mortality Over Time: Insect deaths increased significantly over time for all treatments 24-hour mortality was low; highest mortality observed at 21 days Control group remained stable, confirming treatment-induced effects Treatment Efficacy: Marigold Essential Oil was the most effective (nearly full mortality at 21 days) Followed by Tithonia Essential Oil Mg + Tithonia mix and control had the lowest mortality ANOVA results confirmed a statistically significant difference among treatments Rate of Action: Marigold acted quickly with high mortality already by 72 hours Most essential oils outperformed aqueous extracts in both speed and total mortality Phytochemical-Mortality Link: Treatments rich in flavonoids and phenols (e.g., Marigold and Tithonia oils) corresponded with high mortality Supports the hypothesis that these compounds contribute to insecticidal activity Conclusions and Recommendations: Marigold Essential Oil is highly effective as a natural insecticide Future studies should isolate flavonoids and phenols to explore their specific mechanisms Aqueous extracts may require concentration or formulation improvement Recommends scaling up the use of phytochemical-rich plant oils in environmentally friendly pest control solutions Skills and Impact Demonstrated: Designed and conducted a full experimental statistical analysis Applied inferential statistics (ANOVA) to real biological data Linked chemical compounds to biological effects via data science Delivered results in a clear, decision-making format for scientific audiences