Abstract
The current study was aimed to evaluate the effect of neem and sesame oils for the improvement of poplar (Populus spp.) wood resistance to subterranean termite in the field. Concentrations of 10 %, 20 %, and 30 % of both oils alone in toluene and their different combinations along with heat treatment were bio-assayed against termites. Results showed that both oils protected woods against termites differently; however, neem oil was more protectant than sesame oil. Moreover, neem oil, when combined with sesame oil, significantly improved the wood resistance compared to separate oils treatment. Heat treatment alone was not enough to enhance resistance against subterranean termites. The treatment at 200 oC for 6 h combined with 75 % neem and 25 % sesame (3:1) appears to be the best treatment condition in this investigation. It is concluded that neem oil can be useful as a wood preservative against subterranean termites combined with sesame oil and heat treatment
Highlights
Plants possessing resistance against termites contain compounds which may be unique to certain plants and absent in others
Oil from seed in chloroform (64.33) and seed extract in ethanol (64.67) respectively were non-significantly different from each other (Table 1)
Oil from Schinus molle showed antitermitic activity by exhibiting mortality when termites were exposed to either seed extract or only oil from the seeds
Summary
Plants possessing resistance against termites contain compounds which may be unique to certain plants and absent in others. These compounds may have many functions in addition to direct toxicity. The uses of plant extracts have been practiced since long to control pests and pathogens. There are few innovations that have been developed to use natural products to treat wood against insects and fungal attack. Many of these compounds are safe, non harmful to man but still effective against pests (Bacci et al, 2015)
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