Effects of Tagetes erecta essential oil-based formulations on wood weight loss and termite infestation in garden saplings

Abstract

Introduction: Since last ten decades various synthetic pesticides were used for insect control but most of them
were found highly toxic and harmful to non-target living beings. These also persist for longer time inside soil
as bound residue and enter into food chain and reach to human body and evoke certain diseases. Plant species
synthesize thousands of dynamic biomolecules and so numerous of them have been extracted and distinguished
for its insecticidal exercises. Objective: In the present investigation, various field bioassays were performed
to observe the anti-termites efficacy of plant essential oils based formulations to control population of Indian
white termite. Method: Combinatorial mixtures of Tagetes erecta essential oils have shown synergistic activity
against termites. LD50 values obtained in mixtures B-AST- and S-AST-C were in a range of 261.930 to 507–
666. For the control of termite infestation, thread-binding assay was found quite effective to control garden
termite. Bait formulation was also used which cut down termite infestation in various crop fields. T. erecta
extract with different combinatorial mixtures provides sustainable way of termite control. Result: Use of
crude essential oils, its active components, and combinatorial mixtures have shown significant anti-termites
efficacy against Odontotermes obesus. Conclusion: In subsequent bioassays, both crude essential oils, its
active components and combinatorial mixtures, have shown high toxicity and repellency against Odontotermes
obesus.