Abstract

The possibility of replacing organochlorine insecticides for the control of termites attacking forest plantations, especially of Eucalyptus spp., was investigated in the laboratory in Kerala, India. To test the effects of various alternative compounds, methods were developed for maintaining colonies of Odontotermes guptai Roonwal & Bose in glass jars in an incubator at 25 deg C in the laboratory for about 6 months. The roots of eucalypt seedlings up to about 1 year old, which are highly susceptible to termite attack, were found to contain a substance that was attractive to termites. Chemical characterisation of a root extract showed the attractant to be a phenolic acid, but the attractancy was insufficient to warrant field testing. Root extracts ofrubber seedlings were not atttractive. Methoprene and hydroprene were tested at doses of 0.5-1.5 mu g on filter paper against termites, and the higher doses caused heavy mortality, but no other changes were noted. It was concluded that neither the attractant nor the insect growth regulators showed much promise for the control of termites, and that the application of insecticides to the soil would have to be continued