Abstract

MANAGEMENT OF TERMITE POPULATION BY USING PLANT NATURAL PRODUCTS MAINLY LATEX AND ITS COMPONENTS FROM FAMILY APOCYNACEAE

Rajesh* and Ravi Kant Upadhyay

Abstract

The present review article, explain the use of plant latexes and other plant natural products for control of termites. Termites are polyphagous, highly destructive pests which cause significant loss to agricultural crops, food, fibres, wood materials and other house hold materials. However, for termite control different synthetic highly toxic chemical insecticides were used. But these toxic chemicals were proven very harmful to microbiota of soil, invertebrates and vertebrates. Besides targeting insects, these synthetic chemicals also kill non-targeted organisms. These toxic chemicals enter into the food chains and imposing adverse effects on various organisms. These chemicals after metabolism move further inside biological system andshow bio-accumulation. These persist for a much larger time in the form of bound residues which were proved harmful to parental components. Termite control by plant lattices is eco-friendly and environmentally safe. Latexes are secreted by many flowering plant families. In this article, the latex and other plant natural products have been suggested for termite control. They inhibit metabolism in termites and kill them due to anti-feedant, repellent and toxic action. This article also explains cultural, behavioral, microbial, genetical and biological control of termites to to cut down termite menace in an eco-friendly manner. This article also suggests production of plant based natural formulations for termite control to save the ecosystem and its biotic components.

Keywords: Plant natural products, plant latex, termites, apocynaceae, subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus, Reticulitermes flavipes, Odontotermes, Calotripis procera.