Glyptotermes dilatatus explained

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]}

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. 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

• Artocarpus heterophyllus
• Coffea canephora
• Delonix regia
• Erythrina subumbrans
• Ficus amplissima
• Hevea brasiliensis
• Ligustrum robustum
• Magnolia grandiflora
• Moringa oleifera
• Syzygium aromaticum
• Theobroma cacao

External links

• Some Aspects of the Biology of the Tea Termite, Glyptotermes dilatatus
• Identification and substrate utilisation of fungi associated with low country live wood termite, Glyptotermes dilatatus Bugnion & Popoff and the host plant, Camellia sinensis L.O. Kuntze
• Observations on the occurrence and behaviour of live-wood termites (Glyptotermes dilatatus) in low-country tea fields [Sri Lanka] 1981

Notes and References

1. 4653128 . 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. 2015. Senanayake. P. D.. Mohotti. K. Paranagama. P. A.. 10.1186/s40064-015-1513-6. 26618100. free.
2. Web site: An annotated checklist of termites (Isoptera) from Sri Lanka . National Science Foundation . 14 February 2017.
3. Web site: Live-Wood Termites of Low Grown Tea and Their Management . The Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka . 14 February 2017.
4. Web site: Glyptotermes dilatatus (live-wood tea termite (Sri Lanka)) . CABI . 14 February 2017.
5. Web site: live-wood tea termite (Sri Lanka) (Glyptotermes dilatatus) . Plantwise Technical Factsheet.
6. 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 . 14 February 2017. 10.1017/S0007485300009846 . 1980 . Sivapalan . P. . Karunaratne . A. A. C. . Jayatilleke . D. G. S. .
7. Control of the live-wood tea termite Glyptotermes dilatatus using Heterorhabditis Sp. (Nemat.) . Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment . 19 . 4 . 333–342 . 10.1016/0167-8809(87)90060-0 . 1987 . Danthanarayana . W. . Vitarana . Sushila I. .