Glyptotermes dilatatus

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Glyptotermes dilatatus
Scientific classification
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G. dilatatus
Binomial name
Glyptotermes dilatatus
(Bugnion & Popoff, 1910)
Synonyms
  • Calotermes dilatatusBugnion & Popoff, 1910

The Low-country tea termite, (Glyptotermes dilatatus), also known as Low country live wood termite, [1] is a species of damp wood termite of the genus Glyptotermes . It is endemic to high elevations Sri Lanka. [2] It is a major pest of tea in low country area of Sri Lanka. [3] [4]

Contents

Importance

Termites usually attack leaves, and stems of the plant, and sometimes whole plant. Initial attack is by swarmers and they bore within the tissues and feed on internal tissues. Severe infections can give pitted appearance to bark. Destroyed heart wood produce a honeycomb appearance. Infection spread very easily throughout the field with few attacks. [5]

Control

In tea plantations, pruning and crop sanitation is important to avoid termite attack. Usage of Gliricidia sepium , which is a shade tree in fields can provide additional host to the termite to attack. [6] Thus economical plants can be survived. Immediate burning of affected plant parts is important to reduce spread. Planting resistant varieties is also practiced in many areas. [5] In addition to these measures, biological control is also effective. Laboratory cultures of entomopathogenic nematodes such as Heterorhabditis species is an effective method. [7]

Host plants

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nilgiri tea</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tea production in Sri Lanka</span> Production of tea in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has a climate and varied elevation that allows for the production of both Camellia sinensis var. assamica and Camellia sinensis var. sinensis, with the assamica varietal holding the majority of production. Tea production is one of the main sources of foreign exchange for Sri Lanka, and accounts for 2% of GDP, contributing over US$1.3 billion in 2021 to the economy of Sri Lanka. It employs, directly or indirectly, over 1 million people, and in 1995 directly employed 215,338 on tea plantations and estates. In addition, tea planting by smallholders is the source of employment for thousands whilst it is also the main form of livelihood for tens of thousands of families. Sri Lanka is the world's fourth-largest producer of tea. In 1995, it was the world's leading exporter of tea, with 23% of the total world export, and Sri Lanka ranked second on tea export earnings in 2020 after China. The highest production of 340 million kg was recorded in 2013, while the production in 2014 was slightly reduced to 338 million kg.

Postelectrotermes militaris is a species of drywood termite of the genus Postelectrotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It is a serious pest of tea.

Neotermes greeni, is a species of drywood termite of the genus Neotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It closely resembles Postelectrotermes militaris. It is a minor pest of tea in Sri Lanka, and major pest of mango in India.

Kalotermes jepsoni, is a species of damp wood termite of the genus Kalotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It usually prefers to live in dead and decaying wood, but sometimes can be seen in live wood. It is a major pest of tea in Sri Lanka.

Glyptotermes ceylonicus, is a species of damp wood termite of the genus Glyptotermes. It is endemic to high elevations Sri Lanka. It is a pest of dead and decaying wood of Hevea, Theobroma, Ficus, and Acacia species.

Glyptotermes minutus, is a species of damp wood termite of the genus Glyptotermes. It is found in Sri Lanka. It is a pest of dead wood of Albizia saman and dead wood of Cupressus knightiana.

Bifiditermes pintoi, is a species of damp wood termite of the genus Bifiditermes. It is found in Sri Lanka.

The Indo-Malaysian drywood termite,, is a species of dry wood termite of the genus Cryptotermes. It is found in Philippines, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, and introduced to Sri Lanka. It is the smallest termite species in Australia, with 2.5 – 3.7mm in soldiers.

The domestic drywood termite,, is a species of dry wood termite of the genus Cryptotermes. It is native to Malaysia, Borneo, Australia, China and Sri Lanka. It is mainly a house termite and also found in cultivated areas. The presence of this termite can be identified by small heaps of tiny egg-like pellets of excreta. It is a larger termite species, with 3.25-5.90mm in soldiers. It is considered as a minor pest in Australia, but is a serious pest causing wood damage in other parts of the world.

<i>Cryptotermes dudleyi</i> Species of termite

The West Indian drywood termite,, is a species of dry wood termite of the genus Cryptotermes. It is native to Indonesia, Java and exotic to Australia, Trinidad and Tobago and Sri Lanka. It is predominantly a house termite found in natural and man-made wooden structures. Thus, this is the most commonest and most devastating drywood pest termite found in the world. It is a larger termite species, with 4.55–7.15 millimetres length in soldiers.

Cryptotermes perforans is a species of dry wood termite of the genus Cryptotermes. It is endemic to Sri Lanka. It is found in dead wood of Syzygium cumini, attack on other dressed timber and wooden furniture.

<i>Coptotermes ceylonicus</i> Species of termite

Coptotermes ceylonicus, is a species of subterranean termite of the genus Coptotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It is a common wood destroying termites, which damage to logs, woodens structures of both natural and man-made. It is a pest of many economically valuable trees such as Hevea brasiliensis and Camellia sinensis, and also an inhabitant of Anacardium occidentale, Cocos nucifera, Ficus fergusonii, Gliricidia sepium, Grevillea robusta, Madhuca longifolia, Tamarindus indica and Theobroma cacao.

Heterotermes indicola, is a species of subterranean termite of the genus Heterotermes. It is native to tropical India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka but has extended its range into the subtropics and warm temperate areas of the Himalayan foothills to altitudes of about 2,000 m (6,600 ft). It causes damage to timber in buildings and is one of the most destructive termites in urban and agricultural areas in the world. Soldiers are about 4.1-4.9mm long. Extracts of garlic and Calotropis procera are known to have termiticidal effects on H. indicola.

Odontotermes ceylonicus, is a species of termite of the genus Odontotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. Though nests in the ground, they never construct termitaria. It attacks many dead, diseased rotten plant roots and wooden buildings. It is a major pest of sugarcane and a secondary pest of tea.

<i>Odontotermes horni</i> Species of termite

Odontotermes horni, is a species of termite of the genus Odontotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It attacks many dead, decaying trees and fertilized soil. Though nests on ground, they do not construct a termitaria. It is a pest of tea, coconut and sugarcane.

Odontotermes redemanni, is a species of termite of the genus Odontotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It damages wooden constructions. It is a pest of sugarcane, tea and coconut. They construct termitaria during November to March when rainfall and ambient temperature become low. Underground termite nests of this species are a natural host for the important Traditional Chinese Medicine fungus Xylaria nigripes, also known as Wu Ling Shen.

Glyptotermes is a genus of termite in the family Kalotermitidae. With 127 species worldwide as of 2013, is the family's most speciose genus, and the second most speciose in the New World after Cryptotermes.

References

  1. Senanayake, P. D.; Mohotti, K; Paranagama, P. A. (2015). "Bioactive constituents of wood rot extract of tea, Camellia sinensis L.O. Kuntze against alates of low country live wood termite Glyptotermes dilatatus Bugnion and Popoff (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae)". SpringerPlus. 4 (1): 711. doi:10.1186/s40064-015-1513-6. PMC   4653128 . PMID   26618100.
  2. "An annotated checklist of termites (Isoptera) from Sri Lanka". National Science Foundation. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  3. "Live-Wood Termites of Low Grown Tea and Their Management" (PDF). The Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  4. "Glyptotermes dilatatus (live-wood tea termite (Sri Lanka))". CABI. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  5. 1 2 "live-wood tea termite (Sri Lanka) (Glyptotermes dilatatus)". Plantwise Technical Factsheet.
  6. Sivapalan, P.; Karunaratne, A. A. C.; Jayatilleke, D. G. S. (1980). "Clonal susceptibility and the influence of shade trees on the incidence of Glyptotermes dilatatus (Bugnion & Popoff) (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) in tea". Bulletin of Entomological Research. 70: 145–149. doi:10.1017/S0007485300009846 . Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  7. Danthanarayana, W.; Vitarana, Sushila I. (1987). "Control of the live-wood tea termite Glyptotermes dilatatus using Heterorhabditis Sp. (Nemat.)". Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 19 (4): 333–342. doi:10.1016/0167-8809(87)90060-0.