Wood resistance and wood preference and development of suitable bait matrix for the control of subterranean termites in Malaysia
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Date
2003-11
Authors
Ngee, Peng Soon
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Abstract
This thesis focuses on several aspects of wood resistance and preference, and
development of a suitable and better bait matrix for the control of subterranean
termite, particularly Coptotermes spp.
A total of 45 wood species from three geographical locations (Malaysia, Japan and
United States of America) [Malaysia: nyatoh (Ganua sp.), jelutong (Dyera costulata),
teak (Tectona grandis), angsana (Pterocarpus indicus), pine (Pinus caribaea), balau
(Shorea sp.), red meranti (Shorea sp.), white meranti (Shorea sp.), rubberwood
(Hevea brasieliensis), merbau (lntsia palembanica), membatu (Parinari sp.),
terentang (Campnosperma auricuiata), medang (species of Lauraceae), melunak
(Pentace sp.) and perah (Elateriospermum tapos); Japan: hiba (Thujopsis dolabrata) ,
hinoki-natural and high quality (Chamaecyparis obtusa), hinoki-planted and low
quality (Chamaecyparis obtusa), ezomatsu (Picea jezoensis), todomatsu (Abies
sachaliensis), katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum), kuri (Castanea crenata), sugi
(Cryptomeria japonica), keyaki (Zelkova serrata), kusunoki (Cinnamomun
camphora), mizunara (Quercus mongolica), karamatsu (Larix leptolepis), akamatsu
(Pinus densiflora), buna (Fagus crenata) and akagashi (Quercus ,acuta); U.S.A:
yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), yellow poplar-old growth (Liriodendron
tulipifera), willow (Salix nigra), hickory (Carya sp.), red oak (Quercus rubra), sugar
maple (Acer saccharum), red elm (Ulmus rubra), white oak (Quercus alba), white
mulberry (Morus alba), cotton (Populus deltoids), cherry (Prunus serofina), northern
white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), soft maple
(Acer saccharinum) and southern yellow pine (Pinus radiate)] were screened for their
susceptibility to, and preference by four Malaysian subterranean termite species
namely, Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann), Coplotermes curvignathus Holmgren,
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Globitermes sulphureus (Haviland) and Microcerotermes crass us Snyder. ,Of the 15
Malaysian wood species tested, terentang (C auriculata), jelutong (D. constulata)
and rubberwood (H brasieliensis) were the most susceptible ones and most preferred
by all tennite species, particularly the Coptotermes spp. They also caused low
mortality to the tennites species tested. Buna (F crenata), karamatsu (L. leptolepis),
sugi (C japonica) and todomatsu (A. sachaliensis) were among the Japanese wood
species that were found to be highly susceptible to subterranean tennite species tested.
Kusunoki (C camphora) was toxic to Microc. crassus. All American wood species,
with the exception of old grow yellow poplar (L. tulipifera), generally showed the
potential as suitable candidates as tennite bait matrix. Old growth yellow poplar (L.
tu{ipifera) caused toxicity effect to Cgestroi.
Wood preference studies of 30 wood species (Japanese and Malaysian woods) on
subterranean tennites indicated that rubberwood, jelutong and terentang were the
most preferred species. . Field wood preference studies against various species of
tennites using Malaysian wood species also reconfinned the laboratory findings.
L8rboratory evaluation of three bait toxicants (noviflumuron, hexaflumuron and
imidacloprid) in rubberwood and terentang sawdust-based matrix indicated that
noviflumuron is the most suitable and effective toxicant against C. gestroi with its
effective concentrations at .0.1 0 and 0.25% w/w. These toxicants, however were not
effective against the higher group of tennites (G. sulphureus and Microc. crassus)
tested in this study.
Evaluation of sucrose and urea as additives in experimental bait matrix failed to
show a positive increase in bait palatability to the tennite species tested.
Field evaluation of experimental bait matrix (rubberwood based) containing 0.10%
and 0.25 % (w/w) noviflumuron indicated excellent perfonnance against field
colonies of Coptotermes spp. Colony elimination was achieved withili ~ 7 weeks in
all test locations, with exception to one location which took up to 9 weeks.
Description
Keywords
Wood resistance and preference, and development of a suitable and better bait matrix , for the control of subterranean termite