Reina Marian E. España, Michele O. Olivares (February 2008)
Philippine Science High School Western Visayas Campus – Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PSHS WVC), Brgy. Bito-on, Jaro, Iloilo City 5000, Philippines
ABSTRACT
Termites are chiefly known for the economics damage that they cause to the wooden structure and wood products of men. Coptotermes formusanus colony may contain several million termites (versus several hundred thousand termites for other subterranean termite species) that forage up to 300 feet (100m) in soil. To control the termite damage, people use insecticides that may contain toxins which can harm the environment. Recent researches brought biological insecticides which uses the natural chemicals found in plants against common pests.
This study aimed to evaluate the insecticidal effect of the aqueous extracts of Gamhar (Gmelina arborea) and Lagtang (Anamirta cocculus) on the Formosan subterranean termite Coptotermes formosanus which has an ability to consume wood at a rapid rate.
The percent morality of the termites where determined to evaluate the effect of the plant extracts on the test organisms.
One-way ANOVA and LSD were used to compare the percent mortality of the termites in the different treatments per thirty-minute interval (a=0.05).
The results of the study showed that the effect on the percent mortality of termites treated with Gmelina arborea extract and Anamirta cocculus extract differed significantly with the control treatment which was water.
The percent mortality of termites treated with Gmelina arborea extract has no significant difference with the percent mortality of termites treated with Anamirta cocculus extract.
The percent mortality of termites treated with Gmelina arborea and Anamirta cocculus extracts has no significant difference with the percent mortality of termites treated with commercial insecticide.