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Nonchemical based integrated management package for live-wood eating termites in tea plantations of north-east India

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Abstract

Live wood eating termites are responsible for considerable damage to young and mature teas throughout North-East India. Termite infestation leads not only to economic loss but also to the failure of several years of effort to grow tea plants. This study reveals the efficacy of various non-chemical approaches to control the termite problem in Assam tea plantation. Two multiplication field trials consisted of twelve non-chemical treatments were conducted following randomized block design (RBD) with three replications. The trials revealed that Metarhizium anisopliae, Beauveria bassiana, Heterorhabditis indica and Ipomea carnea were effective in controlling the termites in tea compared to the check (thiamethoxam, a commonly used chemical pesticide against termites in conventional tea estates) as well as to control (untreated- water spray for both organic and conventional tea estates). Along with these non-chemical treatments, an integrated management package for termite control is discussed.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to Unilever and CABI for funding the project and the management of Phulbari T.E. and Hathikuli TE for their constant support. Thanks are also extended to Entomology Department, TTRI, TRA, Jorhat, Assam and Entomology Research Unit, Department of Zoology, NBU, for providing the necessary information and literature and for their constant support, Authors also acknowledge Zoological Survey of India, Kolkota for identifying termite specimen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Entomology Department, Tocklai Tea Research Institute, Tea Research Association, Cinnamara, Jorhat, Assam, 785008, India

    Somnath Roy, Anjali Km. Prasad, Azizur Rahman & Mridul Sarmah

  2. CABI, Nosworthy Way, Wallingford, UK

    Suzanne Neave & Vinod Pandit

  3. Mycology & Microbiology Department, Tocklai Tea Research Institute, Tea Research Association, Cinnamara, Jorhat, Assam, 785008, India

    Pranaba Nanda Bhattacharyya & Satya Ranjan Sarmah

  4. CABI - South Asia, 2nd Floor, 7B PUSA Road, Rajendra Park, New Delhi, 110 012, India

    Akanksha Nagpal

  5. R&D Department, Amalgamated Plantations, Teok P.O, Jorhat Dist, Assam, 785112, India

    Kailyanjeet Borah

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  1. Somnath Roy
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  2. Anjali Km. Prasad
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  3. Suzanne Neave
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  9. Satya Ranjan Sarmah
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Correspondence to Somnath Roy.

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Roy, S., Prasad, A.K., Neave, S. et al. Nonchemical based integrated management package for live-wood eating termites in tea plantations of north-east India. Int J Trop Insect Sci 40, 435–440 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-019-00095-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-019-00095-6

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