My ProjectExperimental 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