BIORESOURCES OF TERMITICIDES FROM JUNIPERS (JUNIPERUS ASHEI AND J. VIRGINIANA)

THE CONTROL OF TERMITES IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES. THE PRINCIPAL METHODS OF WOOD PRESERVATION ARE INORGANIC ARSENIC COMPOUNDS, PENTACHLOROPHENOL AND CREOSOTE. THESE AGENTS APPEAR TO BE ENVIRONMENTALLY HAZARDOUS, INCLUDING CARCINOGENIC. PRELIMINARY RESEARCH HASREVEALED THAT THE HEARTWOOD AND LEAF COMPONENTS OF THE JUNIPERS (JUNIPERUS) HAVE VERY HIGH TERMITICIDAL ACTIVITIES. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WOULD FOCUS ON A BIO-GUIDED TERMITICIDAL ASSAY OF EXTRACTS OF THE HEARTWOOD AND LEAVES FROM J. ASHEI AND J. VIRGINIANA, TWO SPECIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY HARVESTED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CEDARWOODOIL. THE MOST ACTIVE FRACTIONS (COMPONENTS) WILL BE DETERMINED AND THEIR TERMITICIDAL ACTIVITIES COMPARED TO COMMERCIAL TERMITICIDES. THE YIELDS WILL BE DETERMINED FROMWHOLE TREES IN ORDER TO ASSESS THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY.