RELENTLESS ACTION OF THE EXTRACT OF THE FUNGUS Ganoderma lucidum ON NASUTITERMES CUPINS

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.8135412510071

• Palavras-chave: Termites; Extracts; Fungi

• Keywords: Termites; Extracts; Fungi

• Abstract:

  Termites are xylophagous organisms that live in organized colonies, feeding mainly on wood and cellulose materials. These little creatures play a crucial role in nature, decomposing dead organic matter. However, when they invade homes and man-made structures, they can cause significant and costly damage, causing economic impacts for the timber sector, forest species and crops such as corn, sugar cane, rice, cassava and pastures. Currently, these insects are controlled with industrial chemical insecticides, which can cause harm to humans and impact the environment. It is necessary to look for new formulas to combat these organisms, such as the use of substances extracted from fungi and plants. With this in mind, we sought to evaluate the effects caused by the extract of the fungus Ganoderma lucidum on Nasutitermes termites, in order to find out about its potential as a termiticide or repellent, which could serve as an input for the production of organic substances that could be used as termiticides. The extracts were obtained using the cold technique with aqueous, ethanolic and hydroalcoholic solvents (1:1) at concentrations of 0.5%, 1.5% and 5%. Repellency and mortality tests were carried out. The results showed that all the extracts tested had a satisfactory effect on termites, although the ethanolic extract had the best results in all the tests. In terms of repellency, the ethanolic extract was the most efficient in all the concentrations tested, with the 5% concentration showing the highest mortality rate (96.6%). The aqueous extract also had a significant effect, although less pronounced. These results suggest that the Ganoderma lucidum fungus could be a promising tool for integrated pest management, helping to reduce the use of chemical insecticides and their negative impacts. Future studies are recommended to deepen the understanding of the mechanisms and action of the extracts and their applicability to different pests.