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Termiticidal Activity of Ethanolic and n- Hexane Leaf Extraction of Calotropis procera, Cannabis indica and Mentha longifolia Against a Higher Termite Microtomes obesi Holmgren (Blattodea: Termitidae)

Khalid Z Rasib, Amir Khan, Ayesha Aihetasham, Arif Malik

A comprehensive study was carried out to determine the chemical constituents of plant extract from Calotropis procera, Cannabis indica and Mentha longifolia against termite Microtomes obesi under laboratory conditions in University of Lahore in June 2016. Extraction was done by rotary evaporator. Subsequently the analysis of these compounds was performed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry of plant extracts. Plant extractives of Calotropis procera in ethanol and n-hexane detected multiple phyto compound. Leaf extracts of 3 concentrations 25,50,100% were tested against Microtermes obesi. Calotropis procera, Mentha longifolia and Cannabis indica showed maximum 98,92 and 95% mortality at 100,50 and 25% concentration after 14 days (2 weeks) of exposure under no choice trials respectively. Calotropis procera, Cannabis indica and Cannabis indica in n-hexane caused 100% mortality at each concentration, after 14 days of exposure.so increasing the concentration the greater mortality was recorded. Based on results, extracts of these plants proved repellent and termiticidal in action except Mentha longifolia as non-repellent. Under choice feeding trials the feeding on treated filter paper in each concentration was observed that termite repeated its instinct and fed more on untreated paper than treated one under both solvent conditions. Repellency tests indicated all concentrations proved repellent except 25% concentration of Mentha longifolia against termite. Therefore, these plants may be environmentally friendly and could prove useful in developing soil barrier to obstruct termite activity. It was concluded that the plants studied were rich in phytochemicals with significant termiticidal potential and could be used as a replacement of synthetic insecticides which are source of health concern bio magnification.