Screening the diversity of cellulolytic bacteria inhabiting the gut of subterranean termite Coptotermes sp. and their control using Azadirachta indica leaf extract

Abstract

Termite control is essential to mitigate the damage they cause worldwide. It can be achieved by targeting the celluloytic bacteria that thrive within the termite gut. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to isolate and characterize the cellulose-degrading bacteria from the gut of the wood termite, Coptotermes sp. The cellulose degrading bacteria was isolated from the gut of the termite using the medium containing cellulose as the only carbon source. Three different bacteria were isolated and their cellulolytic activity on CMC-containing media was confirmed by the congo red clearing zone assay. Based on the morphological and physiological characteristics the isolates were identified as Bacillus sp., Enterobacter sp., and Micrococcus sp. Of the three isolates Bacillus sp. exhibit maximum cellulolytic activity. In vitro antibacterial efficacy of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf extract against the cellulolytic bacteria was analysed. All the three isolates were found to be susceptible to the neem leaf extract. In addition to bactericidal activity termicidal potential of the leaf extract was determined by no-choice bioassay method.