EFFECT OF DIFFERENT INSECTICIDES AGAINST TERMITES, HETEROTERMES INDICOLA L. (ISOPTERA: TERMITIDAE) AS SLOW ACTING TOXICANTS AHMAD-UR-RAHMAN SALJOQI1*, NOOR MUHAMMAD1, IMTIAZ ALI KHAN2, SADUR-REHMAN3, MUHAMMAD NADEEM2and MUHAMMAD SALIM1 1Department of Plant Protection, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar-Pakistan 2Department of Entomology, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar-Pakistan 3Agriculture Research Institute, Tarnab, Peshawar, Pakistan. *Corresponding author: [email protected] ABSTRACT Three insecticides viz Regent, Tracer and Match were evaluated as slow toxicants against subterranean termites, Heterotermes indicola L (Isoptera:Termitidae). The experiment was performed using termite workers of H. indicola to which these insecticides were dipped in blotting paper once only, in start with the following concentration i.e. 0.000312, 0.000156, 0.00078, 0.00039 and 0.000195%. The total mean percent of mortality after ten days results concluded that Regent (Fipronil 5% SC) was 91.79, 86.40, 78.94, 74.18 and 62.06%, while Tracer (Spinosad 240 SC) was 72.60, 63.53, 60.60, 59.06 and 28.60%, and finally Match (Lufenuron 5% EC) was 49.40, 31.06, 26.19, 22.18 and 10.66%, repectively. Maximum mortality and avoidance was obtained by toxicity of Regent, as it was capable of obtaining 100% mortality even before day ten on every concentration therefore, Regent was considered highly toxic. Tracer was found to be slow acting agent. 100% mortality was recorded by using the 1st concentration of Tracer on day 7, on day 9 by using the 2nd concentration, while on day 10 by using the 3rd concentration of Regent. Match was unable to cause 100% mortality by using any of the tested concentrations. Based on the mortality recorded among the three insecticides the last two (0.000039 and 0.0000195%) concentrations of Regent caused 100% mortality on the 7th and 8th days. The 1st three (0.000312, 0.000156 and 0.000078%) concentrations of Tracer caused 100% mortality on the 7th, 8th and 9th day, and the 1st concentration of Match caused 80% mortality on the 10th day. These concentrations were found the most effective and are recommended as slow acting toxicant in the baits for H. indicola control. Keywords: Insecticides, different insecticides concentrations, Heterotermes indicola, Slow acting toxicants, Termites mortality Citation: Saljoqi. A. U. R., N. Muhammad., I. A. Khan., M. Nadeem., S. Rehman and M. Salim. 2014. Effect of different insecticides against termites, heterotermes indicola l. (isoptera: termitidae) as slow acting toxicants. Sarhad J. Agric. 30(3): 333-339 INTRODUCTION Termites are widely distributed throughout Pakistan, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. They are either soil or wood inhibiting termites. The climate of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is most favorable for production of different fruits, food and sugar crops. Among fruits, peach, apricot, citrus, guava, plum, apple and persimmon are widely grown and are attacked by different insect pests, but termite is the most serious one, which inflicts substantial losses to farming community (Salihah et al., 1994). The termites, Heterotermes, Coptotermes and Odontotermes have been observed to infest apricot, pear, plum, peach and lemon causing different ranges of infestations (Salihah et al., 1992) Sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum is an important cash crop of Pakistan. During 1993-1996, the reduction in area and production was due to the attack of a number of insects but the termite was on the top. In 1985 complaints were seen in different newspapers that sugarcane crop has been destroyed by termites in different areas of Peshawar District (Salihah et al., 1998). Besides crops and buildings, fruit trees are also damaged by Heterotermes indicola L. Successful methods of control have not been developed largely due to the lack of information on organization of termite colonies, which do not build mounds or any other readily detectable structures (Spragg and Fox, 1994). All the 15 species of termites infesting agricultural crops recorded in NWFP are mound less and have no detectable structures (Salihah et al., 1994). Highly effective chemical treatments have been available for many years to prevent subterranean termites' attack and to control infestation. The frequent use of fast-acting termiticides for control of termites has generated a number of Ahmad-ur-Rahman Saljoqi, et al. Effect of different insecticides against termites… 334 biological and environmental hazards in air, water, soil and food. Furthermore, these treatments are expensive and require specialized techniques. Conventional pesticides can kill beneficial insects (parasitoids and predators), which feed upon insect pests. Just one spray can upset the balance between pests and the beneficial predators (www.paceproject.net). Artificial chemicals can stay in the environment and in the bodies of animals causing problems for many years. Pests become resistant to pesticides so more powerful chemicals are needed (Parihar and Singh, 1992). Kamdem et al. (2002) used Fipronil protection against decay fungi and termites. Fipronil, an insecticide already in use to protect agricultural crops and used in the public health sector, is added in the formulation of phenol- formaldehyde resin during the laboratory manufacture of 5-ply plywood. Fipronil loading is sufficient to control the termite activity on plywood samples (Smith and Rust, 2007). Subterranean termites are serious pests of fruit trees, food crops and buildings in Pakistan, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Termites commonly known as ‘white ants’ inhibit nests of various kinds. They have well developed caste systems, which include king, queen, soldier, worker and nymphs. Control of these termites has generally been erratic and unsatisfactory because of their cryptic nature, long life, huge colony size and extensive range of foraging territories (Salihah et al., 1994). Traditionally soil treatments have been conducted where insecticides of high repellency and long residual effect have been used for flooding the target area. This method is costly, inefficient and environmentally unsafe (Su et al., 1993). Use of slow acting toxicant on the other hand is a safe method of managing termite populations. These slow acting toxicants should be palatable so that the termites foraging carry these chemicals back to the colony and distribute among their nest mates (Sattar, 2002). For the control of this destructive pest a number of chlorinated hydrocarbons like Aldrin, Dieldrin, Chlordane, Heptachlor, DDT, and BHC are known effective against termites. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) bans their use in the world because of environmental hazards they cause. Keeping in view the economic importance of H. indicola as a common problematic pest of agricultural crops and buildings, laboratory trials were conducted to find out the effect of different insecticides for its management as a slow acting toxicant (a slow acting insecticide is one that causes less than 15% mortality after 24 hours of exposure and more than 84% mortality after 14 days). MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different insecticides against H. indicola as slow acting toxicants at Entomology Division of Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Tarnab, Peshawar, during September, 2008 to November, 2009. H. indicola were collected from the infested buildings around the NIFA by using NIFA– TERMAP technique (Salihah et al., 1998). The different insecticides used in this experiment are given below. Table 1. Different insecticides used in the experiment S. No. Chemical Name Trade Name Groups Mode of action Dose ha-1 1. Fipronil (5% SC) Regent Pyrazoles Chitin blocker 1250 ml 2. Spinosad (240 SC) Tracer Spinosyns Stomach Poison 750 ml 3. Lufenuron (5% EC) Match Cyromizine Growth Regulator 500 ml 4. Control Distilled Water Detection of Termites The foraging points of termites were detected by using stake method as well as visually observing termites' galleries. Wooden stakes (2.5x4.0x28 cm) made of poplar were driven 25 cm deep into the soil in grid pattern (2.4x2.4 m) around building and in orchard and was observed fortnightly. Active foraging points were marked and infested stakes were replaced by NIFA-TERMAP. Collection of Termites Termites were collected fortnightly. Infested bundles of NIFA-TERMAPs were replaced with new bundles. Bundles were made from five slices of popular wood blotting paper and rubber band round them. The infested traps were brought to the laboratory. Termite along with the soil and debris was passed through different mesh sieves placed one above the other in a plastic tube of 29.5 cm in diameter to separate the termites from the soil and debris. A pair of moist blotting paper was placed to separate soil and termites for few minutes, hereafter, thousands of termites were Sarhad J. Agric. Vol.30, No.3, 2014 335 then collected from the blotting paper. Then the cleaned termite-workers and -soldiers along with a pair of moist blotting paper was placed in the Petri-dishes and kept in desiccators for moisturizing of termites. Once termites were collected, insecticides were prepared in five different concentrations. All these concentrations were tested and compared with the control. For each concentration, a total 30 Petri-dishes were prepared by placing a double layer of blotting paper and the blotting paper was soaked with insecticides by dipping it into the solution until it became completely wet. Fifty termite workers were kept in each Petri-dish and the dishes were kept in the desiccators for a period of 10 days. The data was recorded on a daily basis taking by randomly from each Petri-dish. For each insecticide testing along with control experiment 180 Petri-dishes were used. Data collected right from the next day of the beginning of experiment on mortality, and then those Petri-dishes were discarded. This process was repeated for a period of 10 days. The experiment was conducted under controlled conditions of 28±2°С and 60±5% R.H. The experiment was laid out as Two-factorial in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Preparation of Toxicant Bait Three insecticides; Regent, Tracer and Match were selected to be tested as slow acting toxicants.