Odontotermes Obesus Rambur Research Articles

Acarine species associated with subterranean termites (Blattodea, Termitidae)

Ten species of mites were found associated with three species of termites, viz, Odontotermes obesus Rambur, 1842, O. feae Wasmann, 1896 and Nasutitermes gardneri Snyder, 1933. The collected mite species conformed to nine genera, four families and two orders. Among the ten species collected, nine of them were from the order Sarcoptiformes and cohort Astigmatina, while only one belonged to the order Trombidiformes. Seven species collected conformed to the family Acaridae. All mite species exhibited a phoretic relationship with their respective host insects. One adult mite, Premicrodispus paramaevi Hosseininaveh and Hajiqanbar, 2015 and nine deutonymphs were collected and described.

​​Evaluation of Botanicals Crotalaria burhia Buch-Ham and Anacardium occidentale L. against Termite Odontotermes obesus Rambur (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Wheat

Background: In recent times, termites have gained importance in agriculture as a pest in wheat crop. Famers are using chemical pesticides for the management of termites, which eventually leads to degradation of soil, insecticide residue, pest resurgence, air pollution, water pollution and also affects human health. In this regard, botanicals as an effective alternate to insecticides in the management of termites is crucial. The root and leaf extracts of Crotalaria burhia Buch-Ham and Anacardium occidentale L. against termites was evaluated. Methods: Field experiments were conducted to assess the efficacy of botanicals viz., Crotalaria burhia Buch-Ham and Anacardium occidentale L. along with Indigenous technologies, biofungicide and standard chemicals against Odontotermes obesus Rambur in wheat. An experiment was laid at the Research Farm, Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology, Gurgaon, Haryana during two seasons, i.e., November 2014-March 2015 and during December 2015-April 2016. Result: The test botanicals incorporated along with indigenous technologies and widely recommended termiticides assessed for their efficacy against O. obesus in wheat at two locations proved to be effective in the order of imidacloprid 17.8 SL at 350 ml ha-1 greater than chlorpyrifos 20 EC at 2 l ha-1 greater than B. bassiana 2x108 at 500 ml ha-1 greater than C. burhia root extract (10%) at 50 l ha-1 greater than A. occidentale leaf dust (5%) at 25 kg ha-1 greater than irrigating plots greater than neem oil (2%) greater than dusting salt at 25 kg ha-1.

Potentiality of phytochemical compounds isolated and identified from Jatropha curcas L. against Odontotermes obesus Rambur

Infestations of termites in agricultural fields as well as in domestic and industrial areas have been one of the major problems incurring a great economic loss since long. Chemical pesticides are being used to prevent the devastating action of termites which are deterrent for termites but concomitantly hazardous for health, damage ecological cycles and are perdurable in nature for long. In search of alternatives, the present study was aimed to isolate an active termiticidal phytochemical from Jatropha curcas L. (Euphorbiaceae) against termite species, Odontotermes obesus Rambur. Acetone, chloroform, n-hexane, methanol and distilled water extracts of stem and leaves were prepared and chemical composition was checked. The results indicated that extracts of leaves possessed higher quantities of phytoconstituents than stems. To know the termiticidal potential, extracts of leaves and stems were applied at a dose range of 0.5–4 gm/ml solvent to Whatman filter papers No. 1, allowed to dry, and presented to termites in Petri-plates in specialized termite box maintained at 27 ± 5 °C with 70 ± 5 % relative humidity. Mortality of termites was recorded twice at 24 h and 48 h post-exposure. To know active phytochemicals against termites, isolated phytochemicals were subjected to termiticidal assay in which terpenoid fractions exhibited highest termiticidal potential. The mixture of terpenoids were isolated using TLC in which ten bands of phytochemicals were detected coined JC-1 to JC-10 and the most active fraction JC-6 was identified as of benzyl oleate, benzyl (6Z, 9Z, 12Z) 6,9,12 octadecatrionate; followed by JC-9 as tert- hexadacanethio; while JC10 was a mixture of phenol 2,4 diterbutyl, 1-methylundecyl trifluroacetate, and benzyl acetate (9Z, 12Z) 9,12 octadecadionate. The present study indicates that J. curcas contains anti-termiticidal compounds and that can be used to prevent termite infestation. This plant could be exploited further for production of bio-pesticides.

Termite diversity and damage assessment in urban trees from different parks of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.

Termite infestation is one of the fundamental problems associated with the loss of urban trees and ecological services. However, no such study has been performed in Pakistan to investigate the termite occurrence and assess such damages to urban trees caused by termites. For Lahore, research and comparable data on urban tree damages are rare or missing. This study surveyed six different microhabitats, including Bagh-e-Jinnah, canal vegetation, Model Town Park, Jallo Forestry, Race-Course Park, and FC College Vegetation employing the three belt transects (100 × 5m) method. We geo-referenced termite-infested trees to investigate the termite occurrence on living and dead standing trees, termite diversity, and the assessment of tree damage by termites' attack. We recorded four termite species (Odontotermes obesus Rambur, Coptotermes heimi Wasmann, Heterotermes indicola Wasmann, and Microtermes obesi Holmgren) representing two families (Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae). However, the diversity indices revealed that O. obesus (higher termite) and C. heimi (lower termite) were dominant with 46.60 and 36% of occurrence among observed trees, respectively. Kernel density function indicated that the Lahore Canal and Bagh-e-Jinnah plantation shared all four termites' infestation evenly compared to other study sites. We observed the maximum number of damaged trees by termites in canal vegetation with the most damaged exotic tree species Populus euramericana along the canal green belt. Additionally, we observed significant (P < 0.05) termite-tree interactions with exotic, living, and dead standing tree species and found termite colony size positively (R = 0.985) correlated with the tree trunk diameter up to breast height (DBH). The average population of termites per unit volume of deadwood log was (0.39/cm3) within all plantation sites. In conclusion, this study provides simple, reckless, and inexpensive knowledge about the assessment of termite damage to trees, which may give a better idea in making decisions on tree selection and management in urban ecosystems.

Development and Laboratory Evaluation of a Slow Release Formulation of Fipronil against Subterranean Termites (Odontotermes obesus Rambur)

Development and Laboratory Evaluation of a Slow Release Formulation of Fipronil against Subterranean Termites (Odontotermes obesus Rambur)

Management of termite in wheat under semi irrigated condition

Wheat [Triticum aestivum (Linnaeus) Em. Thell] belongs to family Gramineae, believed to have originated from South West Asia. It is most important cereal cultivated crop in temperate area of the world. Wheat is second important staple food crop after rice. In field condition the termite (Odontotermes obesus Rambur) is predominant insect-pest causing 20-40% damage to the crop particularly in rainfed condition. For the management of termite in wheat, Krishi Vigyan Kendra demonstrate the technology - Seed treatment by Fipronil 5% SC @ 6 ml./ kg seed before sowing and soil treatment by Fipronil 5 % SC @ 1.6 lit./ha. During 2016-17 and 2017-18 at farmers field in adopted village of KVK conduct the demonstration. Under the technology, reduce the termite infestation 53.46 per cent resulted18.92 per cent enhance the productivity of wheat crop. Under IPM technology, the average productivity of chickpea is 3865 Kg/ha whereas in farmers practice, the average productivity of chickpea is 3250 Kg/ ha.

A Comparison on termite assemblages in coffee &amp; teak plantations and semi-evergreen forest - a case study in North Wayanad, Kerala, India

In tropical ecosystems, termites as organic decomposers, play a key role in modifying the biotic and abiotic environment. The present study aimed to investigate how the termite diversity and assemblages differed among habitats. Three sites in North Wayanad, Kerala, India,- a teak plantation, a coffee plantation and a semi-evergreen forest, that were structurally different and with varying land use histories- were chosen for this study. Belt transect method was used to sample the termites. The study recorded a total of 10 species in 7 genera belonging to 4 subfamilies under one family. Termite assemblages and feeding group structure differed significantly among habitats. Two functional groups were recorded- Type II (fungus growing wood feeders/litter feeders, micro epiphytes) and Type III (organic rich soil feeders/ humus feeders). Fungus growing wood/litter feeders were dominant in plantations whereas organic rich soil/humus feeders were dominant in forest region. Plantations seem to host more, species like Odontotermes obesus Rambur, Odontotermes anamallensis Holmgren and Holmgren and Odontotermes yadevi Thakur, the species being good colonizers, favoured by disturbance and also those with the potential of becoming pests. The species diversity, richness, evenness as well as beta diversity were computed for the three habitats. Assemblages of species from the teak and coffee plantations yielded the highest similarity index (42%). Overall, the termite assemblages and structural attributes of coffee & teak plantations and semi-evergreen forest advocated termites as good biological indicators of habitat quality. Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 26 (3): 456 – 467 (2015)

Biodiversity and Integrated Pest Management: Working together for a Sustainable Future

Tillage changes the physical and chemical properties of soil and can also inhibit or enhance useful and harmful fauna. In agriculture, different tillage technologies are being tried to enhance crop productivity, but little concrete information seems to exist on their effects on pest abundance and damage. To address this lack of information, sowing of wheat was investigated under different tillage systems. In order to monitor pest abundance and damage in altered tillage systems, the present studies on the relative abundance and damage due to insect pests viz. pink stem borer (PSB, Sesamia inferens Walker), termites (Microtermes obesi Holmgren and Odontotermes obesus Rambur) and root aphid (Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominalis Sasaki) were undertaken in a rice–wheat cropping system during 2010–11 and 2011–12. Pest abundance and damage was monitored in four tillage systems i.e. conventional tillage (CT), zero tillage (ZT), ZT + mulch and rotary tillage (RT) under insecticide protected and unprotected conditions. The application of insecticide did not affect root aphid incidence or termite damage. However, significant differences in PSB damage in insecticide protected (0.9%) and unprotected (1.2%) conditions were observed. The investigations demonstrated that in CT, damage by PSB (0.6%) was minimum; however termite damage (2.2%) was maximum as compared to all other tillage conditions. In ZT, PSB damage (1.4%) was maximum and root aphid incidence (3.1 aphids/tiller) was minimum in comparison to other tillage conditions. ZT + mulch resulted in inter-mediate insect pest incidence/damage; however, RT was the least effective practice which showed relatively high incidence/damage of these three insects (1.2% PSB damage, 1.9% termite damage and 5.1 aphids/tiller). The insecticide × tillage interaction indicated that insecticide application is needed only in ZT and RT for PSB management.

Making optimal use of biodiversity to slow the spread of cassava mealybugs: A call for action

Tillage changes the physical and chemical properties of soil and can also inhibit or enhance useful and harmful fauna. In agriculture, different tillage technologies are being tried to enhance crop productivity, but little concrete information seems to exist on their effects on pest abundance and damage. To address this lack of information, sowing of wheat was investigated under different tillage systems. In order to monitor pest abundance and damage in altered tillage systems, the present studies on the relative abundance and damage due to insect pests viz. pink stem borer (PSB, Sesamia inferens Walker), termites (Microtermes obesi Holmgren and Odontotermes obesus Rambur) and root aphid (Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominalis Sasaki) were undertaken in a rice–wheat cropping system during 2010–11 and 2011–12. Pest abundance and damage was monitored in four tillage systems i.e. conventional tillage (CT), zero tillage (ZT), ZT + mulch and rotary tillage (RT) under insecticide protected and unprotected conditions. The application of insecticide did not affect root aphid incidence or termite damage. However, significant differences in PSB damage in insecticide protected (0.9%) and unprotected (1.2%) conditions were observed. The investigations demonstrated that in CT, damage by PSB (0.6%) was minimum; however termite damage (2.2%) was maximum as compared to all other tillage conditions. In ZT, PSB damage (1.4%) was maximum and root aphid incidence (3.1 aphids/tiller) was minimum in comparison to other tillage conditions. ZT + mulch resulted in inter-mediate insect pest incidence/damage; however, RT was the least effective practice which showed relatively high incidence/damage of these three insects (1.2% PSB damage, 1.9% termite damage and 5.1 aphids/tiller). The insecticide × tillage interaction indicated that insecticide application is needed only in ZT and RT for PSB management.

Relative abundance and damage of some insect pests of wheat under different tillage practices in rice–wheat cropping in India

Tillage changes the physical and chemical properties of soil and can also inhibit or enhance useful and harmful fauna. In agriculture, different tillage technologies are being tried to enhance crop productivity, but little concrete information seems to exist on their effects on pest abundance and damage. To address this lack of information, sowing of wheat was investigated under different tillage systems. In order to monitor pest abundance and damage in altered tillage systems, the present studies on the relative abundance and damage due to insect pests viz. pink stem borer (PSB, Sesamia inferens Walker), termites (Microtermes obesi Holmgren and Odontotermes obesus Rambur) and root aphid (Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominalis Sasaki) were undertaken in a rice–wheat cropping system during 2010–11 and 2011–12. Pest abundance and damage was monitored in four tillage systems i.e. conventional tillage (CT), zero tillage (ZT), ZT + mulch and rotary tillage (RT) under insecticide protected and unprotected conditions. The application of insecticide did not affect root aphid incidence or termite damage. However, significant differences in PSB damage in insecticide protected (0.9%) and unprotected (1.2%) conditions were observed. The investigations demonstrated that in CT, damage by PSB (0.6%) was minimum; however termite damage (2.2%) was maximum as compared to all other tillage conditions. In ZT, PSB damage (1.4%) was maximum and root aphid incidence (3.1 aphids/tiller) was minimum in comparison to other tillage conditions. ZT + mulch resulted in inter-mediate insect pest incidence/damage; however, RT was the least effective practice which showed relatively high incidence/damage of these three insects (1.2% PSB damage, 1.9% termite damage and 5.1 aphids/tiller). The insecticide × tillage interaction indicated that insecticide application is needed only in ZT and RT for PSB management.

INFLUENCE OF PREY ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCTION OF ENDOCHUS INORNATUS STAL

ABSTRACT The relative importance of three types of prey viz. termites (Odontotermes obesus Rambur), larvae of rice moth (Corcyra cephalonica Stainton) and tobacco caterpillar (Spodoptera litura Fabricius) in mass rearing, conservation and augmentation of the biological control agent, Endochus inornatus Stal has been analyzed under laboratory conditions for two generations. S. litura was found to be the most suitable prey among all the three prey types for the mass rearing of this biocontrol agent.

Laboratory and field evaluation of Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae for controlling subterranean termites.

The efficacy of the Metarhizium anisopliae strain ARSEF 6911 was determined in the laboratory and field against two sugarcane pests, Microtermes obesi Holmgren and Odontotermes obesus Rambur (Termitidae: Isoptera). The susceptibility of both termite species to different conidial suspensions (1 × 10(10), 1 × 10(8), 1 × 10(6) and 1 × 10(4) conidia/ml) was determined in laboratory. All conidial suspensions were able to induce mortality. Termite mortality caused by the fungal suspensions was dose dependent. There were no significant differences in the LT50 values between species. Field evaluation of M. anisopliae alone or in combination with diesel oil and thiamethoxam was carried out in two growing seasons (autumn 2005 and spring 2006) at two sites located in Punjab, Pakistan. Dipping the sugarcane setts in these suspensions was tried to determine their effects on germination and percentage of bud damage to sugarcane setts. All treatments significantly reduced termite infestation compared to the untreated control. The combined treatment of M. anisopliae and diesel oil significantly reduced insect damage by attaining higher germination > 55% and lower bud damage < 5.50% at both sites in both seasons. The results suggest that the application of M. anisopliae and diesel oil in combination might be a useful treatment option for the management of termites in sugarcane.

Biology and Prey Influence on the Postembryonic Development of Rhynocoris Longifrons (Stål) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), a Potential Biological Control Agent

Rhynocoris longifrons (Stal) is a ferrugineous and griseously sericeous harpactorine, alate and multivolitine assassin bug inhabiting concealed microhabitats such as beneath the boulders and in small crevices. It lays eggs in batches and the eggs hatch in 7.8 ± 1.5 to 8.3 ± 1.0 day. The total nymphal development period ranges from 58.6 ± 2.2 to 72.6 ± 4.7 days. The females lived longer than the males. The sex ratio was female-biased. A brief description of egg, nymphal instar and a redescription of adult male are given. The prey influence on the incubation, developmental, pre-oviposition periods, sex ratio, adult longevity, fecundity and hatchability was studied on four different prey species such as Corcyra cecphaionica Stainton, Odontotermes obesus Rambur, Clavigralla gibbosa Spinola and Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner). H. armigera fed individuals exhibited shorter preoviposition, incubation and stadial periods and these parameters were extended in C. cephalonica, C. gibbosa and O. obesus fed R. longifrons . The nymphal longevity, fecundity and hatchability were greater in H. armigera fed individuals. The nymphal mortality was lower in H. armigera fed individuals.