Abstract
A locally isolated strain of Aspergillus flavus was found highly pathogenic to Microcerotermes championi, Bifiditermes beesoni and Heterotermes indicola. Pathogenicity was first tested against the
workers of M. championi by overhead culture method (exposure) and
surface culture method (crawling). As there was no significant
difference in the mortality rate of termites duly exposed to fungal
culture for 10, 20 or 30 minutes; further experiments were carried out
using only crawling method for the nymphs of B. beesoni and workers
of H. indicola. Higher mortality of termites occurred when they crawled for a longer period. Histopathological studies showed that their mycelia branched into body cavity and attacked all the organs including the ganglion of nerve cord, when entry mode was through integuments. However, when the conidia entered through oral route, they were seen tapped by cytoplasmic masses and strands developing in the gizzard and gut of the termites were observable. The comparative data of LT50, LT90 and slope of regression line of various species of termites showed that M. championi was most susceptible to A. flavus than H. indicola and B. beesoni.
KHALID IDREES KHAN, RAFAT HUSSAIN JAFRI , MUZAFFAR AHMAD. (2009) PATHOGENICITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS IN VARIOUS SPECIES OF TERMITES , Punjab University Journal of Zoology, Volume 24, Issue (1&2).
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