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Title: Food preferences of the Turkestan termite Anacanthotermes turkestanicus (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae)

Author
item KHAMRAEV, A.S. - INSTITUTE ZOOLOGY, UZBK
item LEBEDEVA, N.I. - INSTITUTE ZOOLOGY, UZBK
item ZUGINISOV, T.I. - INSTITUTE ZOOLOGY, UZBK
item ABDULLAEV, I.I. - INSTITUTE ZOOLOGY, UZBK
item RAKHMATULLAEV, A. - INSTITUTE ZOOLOGY, UZBK
item Raina, Ashok

Submitted to: Sociobiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2007
Publication Date: 6/7/2007
Citation: Khamraev, A., Lebedeva, N., Zuginisov, T., Abdullaev, I., Rakhmatullaev, A., Raina, A.K. 2007. Food preferences of the Turkestan termite Anacanthotermes turkestanicus (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae). Sociobiology 50(2):469-478.

Interpretive Summary: The Turkestan termite is a serious pest of residential houses and buildings of historic importance in Central Asia. In order to develop environmentally safe control practices for this termite we needed to identify the most preferred plant material that could then be used in formulating a bait matrix. Of the 15 plant materials tested in the laboratory and 25 in the field, stems of sunflower and sorghum showed high consumption. Grasses were more preferred than material from trees. The common reed was the least consumed grass species. Whereas stems of sunflower or sorghum may be used for formulating the bait matrix, common reed, instead of other preferred grasses, could be used for making mud bricks to reduce infestation in rural dwellings.

Technical Abstract: The Turkestan termite Anacanthotermes turkestanicus (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae) is a major pest of wooden structures including some sites of historic importance in Central Asia. In natural habitats, this harvester termite forages for plant material that is then stored in underground nests. In order to use bait technology for the delivery of biorational control agents, we needed to determine the plant species most preferred for feeding by the termites which can be used as a base to develop a bait matrix. Of the 15 plant materials tested in the laboratory, and 25 in the field, stems of sunflower Helianthus annus and sweet sorghum Sorghum saccharatum, showed consistently high consumption in both tests. In general grasses and annuals were more preferred than shrubs and trees. The common reed Phragmites australis, was the least consumed grass species.