Effects of Menadione on Survival, Feeding, and Tunneling Activity of the Formosan Subterranean Termite.

ABSTRACT: The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, is a highly destructive pest and a cosmopolitan invasive species. Sustainable termite management methods have been improving with the search for novel insecticides that are effective, safe, and cost efficient. Menadione, also known as vitamin K3, is a synthetic analogue and biosynthetic precursor of vitamin K with low mammalian toxicity. Menadione has shown insecticidal activity in several insects, presumably due to interference with mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. However, little is known about its effectiveness against termites. In this study, we evaluated the toxicity and repellency of menadione in C. formosanus. Our results showed that menadione affected the survival and feeding activity of termites both in fil

SUBMITTER: Ngo K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8707845 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature