Document Type : Pest Management
Authors
Abstract
Termites utilize only cellulosic materials. This feeding behaviour from point of agriculture has made termites an important group of pests. A group of termites, so-called harvester termites, damage pastures. Some species of termites damage farm plants, fruit and ornamental trees. Nevertheless, the control of termites in agriculture has been investigated worldwide, particularly, in tropical and subtropical regions. Currently, baiting system is one of the best methods of termite control. In this method, a negligible amount of slow-acting toxicant is impregnated in cellulosic materials. Foragers collect poisoned materials to the colony and through trophalaxis phenomenon it is transfered to other individuals. In this circumstance, epidemic will be occurred in the colony. In current research, baiting system was investigated in a 2 hectares date palm orchard of Saravan region. Experiments were conducted with factorial design including 2 factors (each factor with 3 levels) and 3 replicates leading to dividing the date palm orchard to the 30 experimental units. Acid boric (0.5 and 1 percent) and Hexaflumuron (200 ppm) were evaluated as treatments. Data were analyzed with paired sampled t-test. Results indicated that the means of termite population before and year after baiting were significantly different. Also, the means of termite population before and 18 months after baiting were significantly different. Analysis of factorial experiments indicated that there was a difference within level of factor A (number of bait trap per experimental unit). Within levels of factor B (termiticides), no difference was observed. There was no interaction between factors A and B.
Keywords
)