Repellent Ability Research Articles

Surface microstructure regulation of a novel N-CQDs /C3N4/Bi2WO6 self-cleaning synergistic photocatalytic degradation of NO coating

As well known, the apparent structure and chemical composition of self-cleaning photocatalytic coatings are crucial for their application. In this study, C3N4 with a large specific surface area was introduced into N-CQDs/Bi2WO6 to construct a highly catalytic active catalyst (CBW-0.5), which continuously degraded 57.7 % of NO. A robust self-cleaning photocatalytic coating (CCBW-B) was prepared by firmly bonding CBW-0.5 to the substrate through a layered spraying process. CBW-0.5 endowed CCBW-B with high catalytic activity, maintaining a degradation rate of 64.9 % for NO, and most of the surface organic dye contamination was degraded after 36 h. Due to the appropriate arrangement of low surface energy substances and micro/nano particles on the surface, CCBW-B with a graded cross network on the surface has contact angles (CA) of 156°/145° for water/olive oil, respectively. The influence of each component of CCBW-B on its photocatalytic and liquid repellent ability was studied, and the patterns for the differences in coating performance due to the changes in surface roughness structure caused by different layer distributions was discussed. In addition, the mechanism for the excellent performance of CCBW-B was explored using SEM, specific surface area, and the theory of the generation and distribution of air pockets. Finally, the durability and self-cleaning ability of CCBW-B were tested, and the synergistic mechanism of self-cleaning and photocatalysis was also provided.

Biodegradable hydrogel with excellent portability, stability and anti-pollution performance in solar-driven seawater desalination

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation technology holds great potential for efficiently utilizing solar energy to convert untapped water sources into clean water. This study developed a cellulose nanofiber (CNF)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) hydrogel-based evaporator (PCC) using low-cost wood pulp cellulose as the raw material. The experimental results revealed that the PCC hydrogel evaporator achieved a water evaporation rate of 1.61 kg·m−2·h−1 under 1 sun irradiation (solar intensity of 1 kW·m−2). Assisted by the three-dimensional interconnected hydrophilic network, the hydrogel exhibited excellent water supply capabilities, with water transport dominating within the hydrogel, enabling continuous steam generation from seawater. And the water layer formed by the super-hydrophilic pore wall structure was also beneficial to activating water, promoting the diffusion of high-concentration salt water, and enhancing the underwater oil repellent ability. After multiple compression-recovery performance tests, the PCC maintained stable evaporation performance, which greatly enhanced portability during use. In addition, the application of PCC evaporators in the fields of seawater desalination, wastewater treatment, and agricultural irrigation had shown excellent results, confirming the potential application value of this evaporator. Combined with its environmental friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and other advantages, it had broad development prospects.

A facial method for constructing superhydrophobic surface by one-step surface etching combined with melt blowing process

It is a challenge to prepare fluorine-free superhydrophobic surfaces by simple methods. In this work, a simple and effective method for constructing a superhydrophobic surface was developed by combining in situ nanofibrillating melt blowing processs and one-step surface etching. Firstly, the randomly stacked meltblown microfibers as microstructure transformed the wetting performance of the surface from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. Then, by tuning the etching time, the outmost nanofibrils within the microfibers were exposed to form nanostructure thereby achieving superhydrophobic performance with a contact angle of 153°. The superhydrophobicity of the as-prepared nonwoven was maintained after various harsh treatments, such as strong acid, strong alkaline, sandpaper abrasion, and ultrasonic washing, showing stable water repellency ability. In addition, the superhydrophobic nonwoven showed promising application in self-cleaning and oil–water separation. Thus, this work not only prepares a superhydrophobic surface but also proposes a new idea for designing a micro-nano hierarchical structure on the surface.

Tuning the thermoregulatory and tensile performance of electrospun hydrophobic microfibers through a low-cost water doping method

Waterproof fabrics, especially those consisting of hydrophobic microfibers, could protect human from severe weather conditions and environments, and thus are wildly used in sportswear, outdoor products, medicinal, and skin care. However, conventional electrospun hydrophobic microfibers usually lack thermoregulatory functions to provide more comfortable environments, and existing techniques to achieve thermoregulation require delicate fabrications and usually reduce their mechanical performance. Therefore, in this paper, we develop a low-cost water doping method to tune the thermoregulatory and tensile performance of electrospun hydrophobic microfibers. Through an emulsification and subsequent emulsion-electrospinning process, water in PMMA microfibers with 25–45 µm large diameter (W/P-L) and that with 2.5–4 µm small diameter (W/P-S) are fabricated to study the effect of water addition. The water, which exhibit high specific heat capacity, improves the material's heat storage capacity. Additionally, the water in hydrophobic microfibers facilitates the formation of a solid-vapor-liquid double interface, thus augmenting the insulating capacity of fibrous membranes and enhancing their thermoregulatory performance. The integration between soft and rigid materials improves the tensile performance of microfibers. Owing to the reliable encapsulation, our water doping method not only enables the fibrous membranes possessing better thermoregulatory and mechanical properties but also retains the excellent water repellency ability of microfiber architecture, thus broadening the potentiality of electrospun fibrous membranes when used as materials for waterproof sportswear, and other outdoor products.

Mussels-inspired design a multi-level micro/nano re-entrant structure amphiphobic PVDF membrane with robust anti-fouling for direct contact membrane distillation

Membrane distillation has been widely used for effluent purification as a promising desalination technology, however, severe inorganic and organic fouling has typically hindered its practical large-scale application. In this study, we developed a facile strategy for fabricating an amphiphobic polyvinylidene fluoride(PVDF) membrane with a slippery surface. First, a bioinspired adhesive based on a polydopamine (PDA) layer is deposited on the membrane surface as an intermediate layer, providing an active anchor for nanoparticles (NPs). Subsequently, micro/nano SiO2 particles were in-situ grown on the membrane surface using the sol-gel method to construct the re-entrant structure, which was then fluorinated with 17-chain fluorosilane (17-FAS). The intermediate layer inspired by dopamine polymerization significantly improved the stability of SiO2 Nanoparticles. The amphiphobic membrane has a unique multi-level micro/nano re-entrant structure that provides a robust repellent ability against contaminants. The resultant amphiphobic membrane exhibited contact angles of 164o against water and 113o against oil, as well as a low sliding angle of 4.3o, demonstrating excellent water and organic matter repellency. Although the initial flux of the amphiphobic membrane is lower than that of the pristine membrane. The amphiphobic membrane exhibited comprehensive anti-fouling and anti-wetting properties with steady flux and significant salt rejection in the desalination process when CaSO4 and HA were added to the brine feed. This suggests that the modified amphiphobic membrane has a promising potential for long-term direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) practical application.

Andiroba oil (Carapa guianensis): Descriptive analysis and applicability

Andiroba oil (Carapa guianensis) is widely used in the Amazon region and elsewhere. Commercial products containing andiroba oil are available for various purposes. In this study, oil obtained using a traditional process was studied. The oil exhibited acceptable quality parameters. The major cations were Ca, K, and Na. Oleic acid was the major fatty acid in the lipid fraction. Hexanal was the major volatile compound. Owing to its composition, we hypothesized that andiroba oil could have insect repellent or antibacterial effects. Its repellent ability against weevils (Acanthoscelides obtectus) was high, although no antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, or Salmonella was observed.

Choice Modeling for the Commercial Cultivation of Underutilized Aromatic Plants for Producing Mosquito Repellents: Targeting Rural Sector Income Generation.

Tropical countries face considerable economic losses due to mosquito-borne diseases which can be effectively combatted using plant-based mosquito repellents. Therefore, using a questionnaire survey, we selected the 25 top-ranked common but underutilized aromatic plants with mosquito repellent ability in Sri Lanka to investigate the rural sector's willingness to cultivate and supply them. Cinnamomum verum, Citrus aurantiifolia, Citrus sinensis, Citrus reticulata, Aegle marmelos, and Ocimum tenuiflorum were the common species thus identified. The willingness to cultivate and supply aromatic plants with mosquito repellent ability varied between 88% and 60%. The Chi-squared test indicated a significant association between gender and willingness to cultivate and supply these plants. Men had a higher willingness (82%). Persons formallyeducated up to elementary school level had the highest willingness (85%). The willingness from households with many non-income-generating members was 100%. The random forest model developed in this study identifies farmers' willingness to cultivate and supply aromatic plants with mosquito repellent properties. It was trained using an upsampling strategy. Our findings aid in understanding the scenarios involved with introducing, cultivating, and supplying aromatic plants.

Experimental investigation on hydrophobic/superhydrophobic micro patterns: New manufacture method and performance

Hydrophobic/superhydrophobic micro patterns have broad application prospect due to their excellent water repellent ability. In order to manufacture hydrophobic micro patterns on metallic surface, a new flexible and high-efficient method called oscillation-loaded dynamic micro embossing (DME) was developed. In this work, the manufacture process and hydrophobic performance of micro patterns were experimentally investigated. Firstly, the oscillation-loaded DME process parameters designing method was provided to fabricate micro patterns with target dimensions. Then, pure copper workpiece with micro parallel channels and cubes array with different feature width were obtained through DME experiments. The experimental results of the geometrical morphology showed that dimensions of micro patterns were close to the theoretical value, demonstrating the effectiveness of the process parameters designing method. In addition, it was revealed that the roughness of the micro pattern top surface was enhanced significantly by increasing grain size and reducing punch width. Furthermore, the hydrophobic performance of the manufactured parallel channels and cubes array were investigated through water contact angle ( WCA ) test. It was demonstrated that the WCA of pure copper workpiece was improved significantly by the fabricated micro parallel channels and cubes array. Moreover, it was found that the WCA can be improved by reducing the feature width for both the parallel channels and cubes array. Lastly, superhydrophobic micro patterns with WCA up to 161.4° were obtained by utilizing the new oscillation-loaded DME process and plasma surface treatment.

Efficacy of Lemon Extracts in Controlling Mealy Bugs of Stored Yam (Dioscorea rotundata)

Background: The use of plant extracts in controlling mealy bugs is widespread especially on stored products. Despite this, research on lemon extracts, which is known to be very effective against some insect pests are limited. We assessed the repellent ability of lemon extracts in controlling mealy bug infestation and observed if there was any added benefit of the extract in retarding sprouting of yams in storage. Methods: We used the complete randomized design with three treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted of lemon peels, lemon leaf extracts and a control. Ten tubers of Pona white yam variety were rubbed on the periderm with each treatment and placed on a shelf. Two yam tubers naturally infested with mealy bugs were placed at the edges of each replication to serve as sources of infestation. Result: Results showed that yam tubers treated with lemon peel extracts recorded relatively low mealy bug counts compared to untreated ones and, tubers treated with lemon extracts recorded relatively higher weights compared to those without any treatment. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in neither counted mealy bugs nor yam weight per treatment between extracts from leaves or peels. Lemon extract treatments did not affect sprouting and shelf life of tubers in storage. We conclude that lemon extracts are effective repellents of mealy bugs and can be promoted as a safe bio pesticide for stored yam against mealy bug infestation.

Self-Cleaning Biomimetic Surfaces—The Effect of Microstructure and Hydrophobicity on Conidia Repellence

Modification of surface structure for the promotion of food safety and health protection is a technology of interest among many industries. With this study, we aimed specifically to develop a tenable solution for the fabrication of self-cleaning biomimetic surface structures for agricultural applications such as post-harvest packing materials and greenhouse cover screens. Phytopathogenic fungi such as Botrytis cinerea are a major concern for agricultural systems. These molds are spread by airborne conidia that contaminate surfaces and infect plants and fresh produce, causing significant losses. The research examined the adhesive role of microstructures of natural and synthetic surfaces and assessed the feasibility of structured biomimetic surfaces to easily wash off fungal conidia. Soft lithography was used to create polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) replications of Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) and Colocasia esculenta (elephant ear) leaves. Conidia of B. cinerea were applied to natural surfaces for a washing procedure and the ratios between applied and remaining conidia were compared using microscopy imaging. The obtained results confirmed the hypothesis that the dust-repellent C. esculenta leaves have a higher conidia-repellency compared to tomato leaves which are known for their high sensitivities to phytopathogenic molds. This study found that microstructure replication does not mimic conidia repellency found in nature and that conidia repellency is affected by a mix of parameters, including microstructure and hydrophobicity. To examine the effect of hydrophobicity, the study included measurements and analyses of apparent contact angles of natural and synthetic surfaces including activated (hydrophilic) surfaces. No correlation was found between the surface apparent contact angle and conidia repellency ability, demonstrating variation in washing capability correlated to microstructure and hydrophobicity. It was also found that a microscale sub-surface (tomato trichromes) had a high conidia-repelling capability, demonstrating an important role of non-superhydrophobic microstructures.

Role of Plant Volatile to Diaphorina citri on Feeding and Oviposition Behaviour


 
 
 Citrus production in Indonesia and in the world is suffered from disease of citrus vein phloem degeneration (CVPD. It was vectored by psylids (Diaphorina citri). The psylids used citrus plant volatiles as cues for finding their host plants for feeding and laying eggs. Extract of guava leaves was a prospective control material for declaining population of psyllid. Investigation by research was conducted to determine the effect of CVPD symptomatic citrus plants in attracting psylids gravid female for staying and laying eggs, and also to determine the repellency ability of guava shoots to adult psyllids. Citrus buds of healthy plants and CVPD symptomatic plants were exposed to ten gravid female and the number of psylids stay and the number of eggs per bud was recorded. Y-tube olfactometer was used to determine repellent effect of upper shoot, middle shoot, and bottom shoot of guava leave to ten adult psyllids. The result shows that CVPD symptomatic plants was more attractive for laying eggs, eventhough the number of eggs was higher on healthy plants. Repellence effect to psyllids adult was identified in guava leave extracts. The increase of leaf age would decrease the effect. It was suggested that repellent properties was highest youngest leaf or upper shoots of guava.
 
 

Ferulago campestris Essential Oil as Active Ingredient in Chitosan Seed-Coating: Chemical Analyses, Allelopathic Effects, and Protective Activity against the Common Bean Pest Acanthoscelides obtectus

Ferulago campestris is an aromatic plant, distributed in Mediterranean Europe, and a source of essential oils (EOs) regarded as promising alternatives to synthetic herbicides and pesticides. F. campestris EO, hydrodistilled and analyzed, was tested for its antigerminative activity and for its effect on radicle elongation, hydrogen peroxide concentration, and lipid peroxidation on four infesting weed species (Papaver rhoeas, Taraxacum campylodes, Poa annua, and Setaria verticillata) and on Phaseolus vulgaris. Its repellent ability was also tested against Acanthoscelides obtectus, a pest commonly affecting P. vulgaris during storage. Moreover, a chitosan coating layer was developed with the addition of F. campestris EO and tested for its toxic and oviposition-deterring effects against A. obtectus. Myrcene, α-pinene, and γ-terpinene were detected as the main compounds in F. campestris EO. The EO demonstrated a selective in vitro antigerminative activity towards the weed species, without affecting the bean seeds. Moreover, the chitosan coating layer exerted a dose-dependent repellent effect against A. obtectus adults, thus effectively protecting the bean seeds, while preserving their germinative ability. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on a chitosan–EO coating proposed with the aim of protecting bean seeds for sowing from insect attack.

REPELLENCY OF CELERY ESSENTIAL OILS (Apium graveolens L.) AGAINST Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) IN THE LABORATORY

Repellency of celery essential oil (Apium graveolens L.) against Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in thelaboratory. Essential oil is one of the ingredients that has repellent ability to herbivorous insects. Celery is one of plantscontaining essential oil which may also have the repellent ability. This study was aimed to determine the differences in therepellent ability of celery essential oils compounds that were taken from 3 different locations against S. frugiperda in thelaboratory. This research was arranged in a factorial completely randomized design (CRD) with two factors. The first factorwas the origin of the celery plants (Malang, Surabaya, and Lamongan) and the second factor was the concentration level ofessential oils (1000, 2000, and 3000 ppm) which was repeated three times. The reliability test was carried out using filter papermethod. The results showed that the essential oil extracted from celery originated from Malang with 3000 ppm concentrationhad the highest percentage level of repellency (level 5) that reached 93.33% of repellency. Location and concentration factorshad no different effect on S. frugiperda larvae repellency. There was no correlation between location and concentration on therepellency of S. frugiperda larvae.

Anti-icing efficiency on bio-inspired slippery elastomer surface

In this study, we conducted a facile method to fabricate an anti-icing surface on elastomer thin film by combining the PDMS nanostructure with the low surface tension lubricant. PDMS solution was mixed with slippery lubricant Krytox 1506 in a rational concentration and followed by a plasma dry etching process to promote the anti-icing performance in terms of shear stress and water repellency ability. Experimental results were compared with the reference substrates and demonstrated the advantages of the slippery surface in all mentioned scenarios. In addition, the functionalized surfaces also present high durability and good transparency, demonstrating a new facile method and design for outdoor anti-icing devices.

Bioinspired functional glass integrated with multiplex repellency ability from laser-patterned hexagonal texturing

Optically transparent glass integrated with other functions, especially water/fog/ice/contaminate-repellent ability, is highly demanded for electronic displays, vehicle windshields and large-area building windows. Yet, the functional glass currently used in most of these applications faces challenges in integration fabrication and the trade-off between intrinsic optical property and imparted new functions, despite some advances in transparent superhydrophobic glass over the past decade. To this end, inspired by the functional hexagonal microstructure array of mosquito compound eye, a novel strategy to achieve multifunctional integration glass (MIG) is developed for omni-repellency towards water/fog/ice/contaminants in practical applications. The laser textured MIG performed well in durability and transmittance (about 98% of the pristine glass transmittance), which might be ascribed to the microstructure optimization. Moreover, some capabilities are also endowed to this glass, including a diversified self-cleaning ability for a variety of contaminants, a stable antifogging performance in dense fog environment, and an outstanding icing delay effect at low temperature. This work provides a promising fusion concept toward the design of multiplexed platforms that can integrate different functions in one glass for commercially versatile glass.

Pharmacognostical characterization and formulation of herbal-based low-cost mosquito repellents from Elettaria cardamomum (Linn.) seed by using natural binder

BackgroundIn the present scenario, the markets are flooded with chemical-based mosquito repellent products that are proven to be toxic to the human life especially to the children and quite expensive in term of cost. This present investigation was attempted to evaluate the complete pharmacognostical characteristics of Elettaria cardamomum (Linn.) seed and to formulate eco-friendly and cost-effective herbal mosquito repellents of the seed powder by using a natural binder.ResultsThe results of microscopic study of seed confirmed the presence of perisperm, embryo, endosperm and testa (Figs. 4, 5 and 6). The extractive values, moisture contents and ash values were also analysed and found to be alcoholic extract, 4.88% w/w; water extract, 40% w/w; moisture content, 8.6%; total ash, 5% w/w; acid insoluble ash, 1.5% w/w; and water soluble ash, 3.5% w/w (summarized in Tables 1, 2 and 3). From the mosquito repellency test (Table 6), the combination of cardamom seed cake was done with cardamom powder 3/2 + 1/4 spoons, wood powder 3 spoons and chilli powder 1/4 spoon which showed low residual percentage of 15.05%, no irritation and an average burning time of 65 min. The formulated herbal-based mosquito repellents were found to be more effective without any side effects and found less cost too.ConclusionAll the ingredients used in the formulation were herbal based and has no side effect on human health. The cost of the cake was Rs. 11.332/- and it can be considered as good mosquito repellent cakes because of its consistent burning ability with no irritating smoke and low residual percentage and high mosquito repellent ability. By utilizing this concept, the researchers can develop herbal, eco-friendly and cost-effective mosquito repellents in future.

Magnetically responsive lubricant-infused porous surfaces with controllable lubricity and durable anti-icing performance

Using porous glucose template, magnetically responsive lubricant-infused surfaces (LISs) were prepared in this work. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) encapsulating carbonyl iron particles provided a soft porous framework, which was infused with inert dimethyl silicone oil as a lubricant. In the absence of a magnetic field, the silicone oil was stored inside the holes of the LISs. Under the influence of a magnetic field, the movement of magnetic particles drove the PDMS to shrink and deform, which resulted in the silicone oil being extruded to the sample surface to form a lubricating layer. The lubricity and anti-icing performances of the LISs with different magnetic particle contents were compared. When the mass ratio between the PDMS and magnetic particles was 1:1, the LIS exhibited the best water repellent ability and the lowest ice adhesion strength of ~16 kPa in a magnetic field. Furthermore, after 30 cycles of icing/deicing tests, the ice adhesion strength of this LIS still remained at ~16 kPa in the magnetic field, indicating good anti-icing durability. The controllable lubricity effectively avoided the rapid loss of silicone oil and improved the service life of the LISs.

Hierarchical Surface Inspired by Geminized Cationic Amphiphilic Polymer Brushes for Super-Antibacterial and Self-Cleaning Properties.

Pathogenic bacteria adhesion and formation of biofilm on the implant are the most common reasons for healthcare-associated device failure. Cationic amphiphilic polymer brushes containing covalently linked quaternary ammonium salts (QASs) are considered to be the most promising bactericidal materials, but these surfaces still suffer from incomplete bactericidal ability and serious microorganism accumulation. With this in mind, a novel kind of hierarchical surface integrating both geminized cationic amphiphilic antibacterial upper layer and zwitterionic antifouling sublayer has been developed in this study. Measurements of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy, water contact angle, and surface ζ-potential were performed to investigate the surface functionalization process. The thicknesses and grafting densities of the pAGC8 upper blocks have been optimized to avert the mutual interference among different components. The optimal hierarchical surface exhibits an ultrahigh antibacterial activity and a potent self-cleaning functionality against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria, as well as a certain protein repellence ability. Such a novel hierarchical architecture provides innovative guidance for the construction of super-antibacterial and self-cleaning brushes in many biomedical applications.

Investigation of pesticidal ability of humic acid derived from palm oil Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) vermicompost

Purpose Humic Acid (HA), a plant’s growth promoter readily available in compost was found to have insect repelling functional groups. This study was conducted to investigate the pesticidal ability of HA extracted from Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) vermicomposts at Carbon to Nitrogen (C:N) ratio of 25, 30 and 35. Methods The vermicomposts were prepared using EFB, a palm oil mill by-product as the base material with underutilized organic wastes (fishmeal, bonemeal, and bunch ash) as additives to enhance the macronutrients of vermicomposts. Composting was conducted for 52 days with earthworms as composting agents. HA (mass yield of 2.34 – 2.63%) was extracted from the matured vermicomposts through alkaline extraction before acid precipitation. The insect repelling effectiveness of HA, Garlic Extract (GE) and 87% GE + 13% HA was evaluated by spraying them onto soil samples in different compartments with crickets. Results Vessel with lesser crickets indicates agent sprayed repels insect better. Results showed 87% GE + 13% HA repels insect most effectively, followed by 100% HA and lastly 100% GE. The macronutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium) were improved upon mixing additive materials to the vermicompost. Conclusion HA alone possesses some ability to repel crickets. It performs better when it is coupled with GE as HA acts as a diluent to promote GE absorption into soil thus enhancing the pesticidal effect. This demonstrates EFB has potential as a precursor material for high value vermicompost with insect repellent ability, thus presenting an opportunity for respective industries to generate value-added products while solving by-product underutilization issue.

Synergism of three botanical termiticides as wood protectants against subterranean termites, Macrotermes subhyalinus (Rambur, 1842)

BackgroundThe increased interest in the harmful effects of most chemical pesticides on the ecosystem has continually served as an impetus to search for safer and eco-friendly pesticides from plant origin. In this study, the termiticidal potentials of extract mixtures of Azadirachta indica (A. Juss.), Nicotiana tabacum (L.), and Jatropha curcas (L.) against Macrotermes subhyalinus (Rambur, 1842) infesting Triplochiton scleroxylon (K. Schum) wood blocks were investigated in the field (open and under shade) and laboratory conditions. Weight loss in wood blocks, level of wood damage, and termite mortality were used as indices of wood protection potential of the botanical mixtures. The level of repellent ability of the extracts mixture was also determined. For the laboratory bioassays, ten termites (worker/soldier) were used per treatment and each treatment was replicated thrice. Profile of components of the three mixtures was also obtained using head space–solid-phase micro-extraction, gas chromatography–mass spectrophotometry (HS-SPME, GC-MS) analysis.ResultsExtracts of A. indica plus N. tabacum achieved 100% mortality of worker within 4 h while those of N. tabacum plus J. curcas and A. indica plus N. tabacum plus J. curcas achieved 100% mortality of termites at 6 h post-treatment. Also, extract of A. indica plus N. tabacum and A. indica plus N. tabacum plus J. curcas evoked 100% mortality of soldier termites at 6 h. Termites exposed to N. tabacum plus J. curcas for 1, 2, 3, and 4 h were the most repelled at 73, 87, 73, and 73%, respectively. The extract of J. curcas plus A. indica plus N. tabacum offered the highest protection against termite damage in the open field (6.17%). The botanicals were ineffective under shade. Insecticidal compounds like (S)-3-(1-Methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl) pyridine; Methyl ester, Hexadecanoic acid; (Z, Z)-9, 12-Octadecadienoic acid; Anthracene; 2-Hydroxy-Cyclopentadecanone; and n-Hexadecanoic acid were found in the extracts.ConclusionThese results suggest that the botanical mixtures could confer some protection against termites. Also, the knowledge about the components and varied level of potency under different conditions may be vital in developing biorationals against M. subhyalinus.