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Effect of biofertilizers and diatomaceous earth on life and movement of subterranean termites under laboratory conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2018

Sohail Ahmed ,
Babar Hassan  and
Muhammad Umer Farooq
Sohail Ahmed
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, Termite Research Laboratory, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
Babar Hassan*
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, Termite Research Laboratory, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
Muhammad Umer Farooq
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, Termite Research Laboratory, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
*
*E-mail: sialuaf@gmail.com
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Abstract

The presence of biofertilizers can affect the life and movement of subterranean organisms in the soil. In the current study, the effect of three biofertilizers (Unigrow, Rhizogold and Rhizogold Plus) alone and in combination with diatomaceous earth (DE) and insecticides on mortality and movement of subterranean termites, Coptotermes heimi (Wasmann), was investigated under laboratory conditions. The mortality of termites in soil mixed with biofertilizers was low as compared to the control treatment, which led to significant mortality. Length of galleries formed by termites with the addition of Unigrow in the soil was significantly higher as compared to the other two biofertilizers and control treatments. Mortality increased in the presence of insecticides and DE in the soil substrate. Unigrow mixed soil having chlorfenapyr had maximum mortality and minimum gallery length followed by Rhizogold and Rhizogold Plus. The addition of DE and insecticide further enhances mortality, and we recommend that some toxic elements should be incorporated in biofertilizers to control subterranean termites.

Keywords

Biofertilizersdiatomaceous earthCoptotermes heimi
Type
Research Paper
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 38 , Issue 4 , December 2018 , pp. 348 - 352
Copyright
Copyright © icipe 2018 

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