Abstract
This study examined anti-termite effect of Anadelphia afzeliana extracts on Daniellia oliveri, Gmelina arborea and Terminalia ivorensis wood species in Makurdi, Nigeria. A. afzeliana was collected, dried under shade, pulverized and the phytochemical constituents of screened. Weight of 100 g was respectively dissolved in 200 mL of methanol and hot water and mixtures left to macerate within 24 hours and thereafter filtered to obtain extracts. Concentrations of 20 %, 30 % and 50 % were constituted from methanol and aqueous extracts.Test woods were weighed and impregnated in treatments for 72 hours, after which absorption and retention were calculated. Treated woods were laid out in a timber grave yard in a Completely Randomized Design with seven treatments and solignum as control. Grand total of 360 test wood were used. Percentage weight loss was calculated on test wood. Anthraquinones, balsams, flavonoids, phlobatannins, tannins, terpens, resins, phenols and saponins phytochemicals were present in A. afzeliana. Mean absorption of G. arborea, T. ivorensis and D. oliveri test wood were 93.04 -130.55 kg/m3, 100.54 - 142.04 kg/m3 and 96.94 - 175.01 kg/m3, respectively. The values were lowest in solignum and highest in 20 % A. afzeliana aqueous extract. Mean retention in G. arborea, T. ivorensis and D. oliveri were 9.29 - 62.51 kg/m3, 11.29 - 90.78 kg/m3 and 10.79 - 55.69 kg/m3; lowest in solignum and highest in 50 % A. afzeliana aqueous extract. Mean percentage weight loss was 13.81 - 30.65 % (G. arborea), 13.37 - 23.31 % (D. oliveri) and
Highlights
Anadelphia afzeliana (Rendle) Stapf commonly called Thatch grass (English) and occurs from Senegal eastward, southward to western region of Africa in Nigeria
Absorption of extracts by treated wood species Gmelina arborea wood samples recorded mean absorption between 93.04 and 130.55 kg/m3, lowest in solignum and highest in 20 % A. afzeliana aqueous extract; while, in T. ivorensis wood, the mean value ranged from 100.54 - 142.04 kg/m3; least in solignum and maximum in 50 % A. afzeliana aqueous extract
Phytochemical screening of A. afzelia revealed moderate presence of anthraquinones, balsams, flavonoids, phlobatannins, tannins and terpens in methanol extract, while, phlobatannins, resins and saponins were slightly present in the aqueous extract
Summary
Anadelphia afzeliana (Rendle) Stapf commonly called Thatch grass (English) and occurs from Senegal eastward, southward to western region of Africa in Nigeria. It is an annual grass with height ranging from 30–60 cm in stems which is used for thatching and foraging (Bagué, 2011). Thatching material from A. afzeliana is of high quality because it has been observed that they not attacked by termites when in service. In Nigeria, it has even been described as the best thatching material available and are mostly found in the northern and eastern region of Nigeria, precisely Benue and Enugu States. The Tiv people of Benue State call it “Acho” while the local people of Enugu State refer to it as “Iruruwe”. There are no accessions of A, afzeliana in gene banks (Brink and Achigan-Dako, 2012)
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