Efficacy os Some Plant Extracts against Termites Under Controlled Conditions

Abstract

Termites, particularly Odontotermes spp., are a severe pests of several crops in India. The usage of environmental friendly chemicals for termite management has been on the rise worldwide. This study examined the effects of various fresh and fermented plant extracts, viz. sweet neem (leaf), marigold (flower), tulsi (leaf), common lantana (leaf), neem (leaf), congress grass (leaf), and jatropha (seeds) at four distinct concentrations (5, 10, 15, and 17.5% w/v) on worker caste of Odontotermes sp. After 48 hr of exposure, the fresh extracts (5%) of neem and congress grass resulted in the highest mortality (93.30% and 90%, respectively), while the fermented extracts (5%) of neem and tulsi achieved 100% death at 12 hr only. They were at par with the standard check (imidacloprid 17.8 SL). Thus, neem, tulsi, and congress grass based extracts could be incorporated as effective botanicals into an integrated termite management program.