POTENTIAL OF CLOVE ESSENTIAL OIL AGAINST SUBTERRANEAN TERMITE Macrotermes gilvus HAGEN (BLATTODEA: TERMITIDAE)

Abstract

Macrotermes gilvus (subterranean termite) can play dual roles as decomposers of natural wood and pest in plantations and urban area. The damages caused by termites in the urban area reaches 35% and in the wood industry can reach 40%. Nowadays, termite control is still carried out by the application of synthetic termiticide. In termites’ case, environmental pollution issue is more important than the resistance of termite to termiticide, so it’s necessary to find alternative termiticide from natural materials. This study examined the potential of clove essential oils to control M. gilvus with two methods. The test methods were oil residue on filter paper and soil in a glass tube H. Clove essential oil on filter paper was applied and dried for one minute, after that put in the petri dish. For soil treatment, the soil was soaked with clove essential oil for one hour and dried for one day, after that the soil treatment put into the bridge tube. Each method was infested by 50 termites with ratio 90% workers and 10% soldiers. Termite mortality on treated filter paper was observed after 72 hours, and on treated soil were observed daily until 7 days. The result showed that clove essential oils caused mortality of M. gilvus more than 90% after consumed and contacted on treated filter paper and contacted on treated soil with concentration 0.80% and 1.20%, respectively. Based on the results, clove essential oil has the potential to be developed and can be used as an alternative against termites, that was environmentally friendly.