Monday, December 10, 2007
D0169

Volatile analysis of eastern redcedar for causes of mortalitiy of eastern subterranean termites, Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Charles E. Konemann, charles.e.konemann@okstate.edu1, Brad Kard, n/a1, and Salim Hiziroglu2. (1) Oklahoma State University, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, 127 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK, (2) Oklahoma State University, Natural Resourse Ecology & Mgmt, 127 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK

In a previous feeding study where the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) was fed three types of eastern redcedar particle board panels: single-layer panel without foliage, single-layer panel with foliage, and triple-layer panel with foliage, the greatest mortality occurred after feeding on the triple-layer panel. Chemical analysis of volatiles was performed using aeration chambers to collect volatiles from the redcedar panels onto Super-Qabsorbent cartridges. This was done to determine possible compounds that may have caused the high mortalitiy of R. flavipes on the triple layer panel. A volatile aeration system utilized one blank (control) and three treatments, each replicated three times. Samples eluted with hplc grade hexane from the Super-Q were analyzed on a Hewlett-Packard 5971 Mass Spectrometer coupled to a HP 5890 series II gas chromatograph. Analysis indicated that the three-triple layer samples contained 108.856, 61.295 and 62.635 ng/ul of 1,2-dichlorobenzene. 1,2-dichlorobenzene is a known termiticide and could possibly explain the mortality of R. flavipes when fed the triple-layer panel. No detectable amounts of this compound were found in the single-layer panels with or without foliage or the control sample. No other volatile compound differences in the redcedar panels were detected.


Species 1: Isoptera Rhinotermitidae Reticulitermes flavipes (eastern subterranean termite)