PJB-2018-848
BIOEFFICACY OF SOME PHYTOEXTRACTS AGAINST SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES ODONTOTERMES OBESUS RAMB. (ISOPTERA: TERMITIDAE)
Muhammad Shahzad Akbar
Abstract
Methanolic extracts and essential oils of 10 indigenous plant species were evaluated for their insecticidal and repellency potential against subterranean termite Odontotermes spp., a devastating pest of agricultural crops, orchard and forest plantations and wooden infrastructures. Standard filter paper disc method was used for both toxicity and repellency bioassays according to completely randomized design. Responses of termite workers varied with plant material, concentration and exposure time. The extracts of Azadirachta indica (neem) and Nerium indicum (oleander) appeared to be most effective botanicals with minimum LC50 (6.35 and 10.38%, respectively) and LT50 (12.11 and 17.49 h, respectively) values followed by Gardenia jasminoides (gardenia), while N. indicum (oleander) and Dodonaea viscosa (sanatha) exhibited maximum average repellency (up to 78%) of subterranean termite individuals followed by A. indica (neem). In addition, the essential oils of Citrus aurantium (sour orange) and Cymbopogon citratus (lemon grass) were the most effective against Odontotermes termites with minimum LC50 (0.44 and 0.74%, respectively) and LT50 (10.91 and 16.89 h, respectively) values followed by Allium sativum (garlic), while Syzygium aromaticum (clove-bud) and A. sativum (garlic) oils exhibited maximum average repellency (up to 75%) of subterranean termite individuals followed by C. aurantium (sour orange). These findings corroborate the effectiveness of plant extracts and essential oils as safe and environment-friendly alternates to hazardous synthetic insecticides and suggest the incorporation of these natural compounds in pest management programs against insect pests such as subterranean termites.
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