Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Protecting wood in service from damage by termites is a major area of our research work unit. Part of this process is looking for new candidate products for the management of termites. This year we have two different management possibilities. The first isn⿿t a new idea, but it is one that has received very little attention over the years, the use of antimicrobial products as a means of defaunating termites. Additionally, further research has been completed on potential natural products (in this case, wood extractives) as potential termite control products. The latter work has been done in cooperation with researchers in Pakistan, who hope to use extracts from local wood to help control termites in their country and SE Asia. Finally, there have been a few studies published this year on the susceptibility of CLT to termites. PARTICIPANTS: All personnel from FPL-4723 participate in this program area, whether directly through papers or through the termiticide testing program. These studies were completed in cooperation with researchers from Pakistan, Iran, Canada and the Universities of Oregon and Mississippi State. TARGET AUDIENCES: Audiences for these papers include anyone interested in termite control (National Pest Management Association and pest management industry in general), architects, builders and forest products manufacturers interested in using CLT.
Impacts
This problem area consists of both understanding of termites as part of forest ecosystems, but also includes studies aimed more obviously at termite control. This year our unit has produced two papers examining wood extractives as termite control candidates against a common subterranean termite in Pakistan, three studies on termite susceptibility of CLT, and two papers on the potential use of microbicides for termite control. Of these, the understanding that termites can and will damage CLT in service is probably the most important for manufacturers, architects and contractors using CLT. This work has been long overdue, and does not bode well for CLT structures in decay hazard five parts of the U.S.
Publications
- Telmadarrehei, Telmah; Raji, Olanrewaju; Rezazadeh, Amir; Jeremic-Nikolic, Dragica; Tang, Juliet D. 2018. Effect of chitosan on diversity and number of protists in subterranean termites. Proceedings of the American Wood Protection Association. 114: 49-59.
- França, T.S.F.A.; Stokes, C.E.; Tang, J.D. 2018. Evaluation of cross-laminated timber resistance to termite attack. Proceedings of the American Wood Protection Association Annual Meeting. 114: 266-271
- França, Tamara S.F.A.; Stokes, C. Elizabeth; Tang, Juliet D. 2018. Durability of cross laminated timber against termite damage. In: Proceedings, 61st international convention of society of wood science and technology and Japan wood research society. Monona, WI: Society for Wood Science and Technology. 10 p.
- Hassan, Babar; Ahmed, Sohail; Mehmood, Nasir; Mankowski, Mark E; Misbah-ul-Haq, Muhammad. 2019. Toxicity potential of heartwood extractives from two mulberry species against Heterotermes indicola. Maderas. Ciencia y tecnología. 21(2): 153-162.
- Hassan, Babar; Mankowski, Mark E.; Kirker, Grant; Ahmed, Sohail; Bishell, Amy. 2019. Ex-situ performance of extracts from naturally durable heartwood species and their potential as wood preservatives. European Journal of Wood and Wood Products. 77(5): 869-878.
- Mankowski, Mark E.; Shelton, Thomas G.; Kirker, Grant; Morrell, Jeffrey J. 2018. Ongoing field evaluation of Douglas-fir cross-laminated timber in a ground proximity protected test in Mississippi. In: Proceedings, one hundred fourteenth annual meeting of the American wood protection association. Birmingham, AL: American Wood Protection Association: 132-137.
- Tang, Juliet D.; Raji, Olan; Peterson, Daniel G.; Jeremic-Nikolic, Dragica. 2018. Dysbiosis: a potential novel strategy for control of subterranean termites. In: Proceedings, 114th annual meeting of the American wood protection association. Birmingham, AL: American Wood Protection Association: 81-91.
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Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Protecting in-service wood from termite feeding is estimated to cost between 5 and 11 billion dollars annually, considering both control costs plus repair/replacement of damaged structures. These estimates are from a few years ago (2011), so this may be an underestimate of current costs. While termites are beneficial in their native habitat (the forest), they are serious pests in structures. There are two avenues that need to be taken for developing new termite control measures, the first is knowing their behaviors and biology in the forest, and the second is learning to take advantage of that knowledge to implement more effective (and hopefully more efficient) termite control strategies for structural protection. Our unit has produced information from both avenues this year. Three different papers looking at the bacteria occurring in termite hindguts, as well as another paper using a new product to control termites by killing off their hindgut symbionts. Our annual termiticide report provides information to homeowners and pest management professionals on the efficacy of currently available termiticides. Potential damage to cross laminated timber products are being studied with cooperators at Mississippi State University. Other MSU cooperators are working with Dr. Tang to understand the changes in the soil ecosystem (which certainly includes termites) surrounding beetle killed trees in forests. Additional data on termite control using extractives (see problem #1) also apply here. PARTICIPANTS: Unit personnel involved in this research are: Rachel Arango, Craig Bell, Tina Ciaramitaro, Shawn Cooper, Blossie Boyd, Don Fye, Mark Mankowski, Thomas Shelton, and Juliet Tang. TARGET AUDIENCES: This problem area has the largest audience of all three problem areas in our unit. The research produced this year (and most others) apply to anyone that owns a structure (houses, businesses, etc.) in all parts of the U.S. (mainly prevalent in the Southeastern U.S., but termites have been found in all states). Regulators, chemical manufacturers and pest management companies will be interested in the information provided by our annual FS termiticide report. Academic researchers will find the research on termite hindgut bacteria of interest in understanding the full ecosystem of the termite hindgut, which may offer insight into eventual control strategies using that information (for example the work on chitosan treatments of termites).
Impacts
The data reported for any year⿿s problem area #2 helps homeowners understand their options for termite control measures. This also applies to the companies that will sell the treatment to the homeowners. More specific to this year, our unit has been looking to understand the bacterial component of the termite hindgut, and some have even started looking at ways to exploit our knowledge of these microbial symbionts to control termites. More work is needed, but it is promising. This type of information is important to industrial cooperators who may choose to develop products reflecting these ideas. Cross laminated timber has been used in a limited number of high-rise wooden structures without the benefit of understanding how termites will respond to these huge food resources. Since a few of these buildings are already in place, we are behind in the necessary understanding of how a primary wood decay agent will respond, and what types of control methods will be necessary to protect these structures in the future.
Publications
- Arango, Rachel A.; Green III, Frederick; Yang, Vina W.; Lindholm, Joliene R.; Chotlos, Nathaniel P.; Raffa, Kenneth F. 2017. Evaluating the role of Actinobacteria in the gut of wood-feeding termites (Reticulitermes spp.). In: The International Research Group on Wood Protection, Section 1, Biology: Paper prepared for the IRG48 Scientific Conference on Wood Protection. Ghent, Belgium: 4-8.
- Franca, F.J.N.; Franca, T.S.F.A.; Arango, R.A; Woodward, B.M.; Vidaurre, G.B. 2017. Variation in natural durability of seven Eucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus urophylla hybrid clones. Forest Products Journal. 67(3/4): 230-235.
- Shelton, Thomas; Fye, Donald; Tang, Juliet; Mankowski, Mark. 2017. USFS termiticide report: a new era for termiticide tests. Pest Management Professional. May 2017. pp. 4.
- França, Tâmara Suely Filgueira Amorim; França, Frederico José Nistal; Arango, Rachel A.; Woodward, Bessie M.; Arantes, Marina Donária Chaves. 2016. Natural resistance of plantation grown African mahogany (Khaya ivorensis and Khaya senegalensis) from Brazil to wood-rot fungi and subterranean termites. International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation. 107: 88-91.
- Raji, Olanrewaju; Jeremic-Nikolic, Dragica; Tang, Juliet D. 2017. Diversity of Hindgut Bacterial Population in Subterranean Termite, Reticulitermes flavipes. In: Proceedings, American Wood Protection Association Annual Meeting 2016. San Juan, PR. 112. 48-53.
- Raji, Olanrewaju; Tang, Juliet D.; Telmadarrehei, Telmah; Jeremic, Dragica. 2017. Analysis of hindgut bacterial phyla frequency and diversity in subterranean termites exposed to chitosan-treated wood. In: The International Research Group on Wood Protection, Section 1, Biology: Paper prepared for the IRG48 Scientific Conference on Wood Protection. Ghent, Belgium: 2-8.
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Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16
Outputs
OUTPUTS: As the most economically important wood destroying insect in the U.S., subterranean termites are often difficult to control in and around structures. These termites are rarely visible as they nest underground and construct shelter tubes for protection when they forage on wood in use. Being unseen by the casual observer, these insects usually go unnoticed until they have caused significant damage to structures and other items (wooden fences, posts, etc.). Since they are such an important pest, efforts to develop useful technologies for their control has been a focus of the Forest Products Laboratory Durability and Wood Protection research work unit (in various incarnations) for almost 80 years. This year, our efforts in termite control have included many examinations of durable wood-derived extractives for potential use against termites, examinations of the antibiotic properties of termite gut fauna (a possible means of controlling wood destroying fungal pests), as well as basic information characterizing the hindgut fauna of termites. In addition, our project provides homeowners and pest management professionals an annual report of standardized studies on the efficacy of various soil-applied termiticides in preventing termite feeding.
Impacts
The results of these studies are of interest to a wide variety of users, from homeowners making decisions about control measures implemented for their homes and the pest management companies decisions on what products to offer to industry and other scientists interested in the control of termites through alternate measures offered by the natural product (extractives) research produced by our unit this year. Academics interested in the basic biology of termites will be interested in the work being done on characterizing the gut fauna of native subterranean termites.
Publications
- Arango, R.A.; Carlson, C.M.; Currie, C.R.; McDonald, B.R.; Book, A.J.; Green III, F.; Lebow, N.K.; Raffa, K.F. 2016. Antimicrobial activity of actinobacteria isolated from the guts of subterranean termites. Environmental Entomology. pp. 1-9.
- Hassan, Barbar; Mankowski, Mark; Kirker, Grant; Ahmed, Sohail; ul Haq, Muhammad Misbah. 2016. Antitermitic activities of Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo Roxb) heartwood extractives against two termite species. Proceedings IRG Annual Meeting (ISSN 2000-8953), IRG/WP 16-10856. Lisbon, Portugal. 15-19 May 2016. Stockholm, Sweden. The International Research Group on Wood Protection, Section 1 Biology. 16 pp.
- Mankowski, Mark E.; Boyd, Blossie; Hassan, Barbar; Kirker, Grant T. 2016. GC-MS characterizations of termiticidal heartwood extractives from wood species utilized in Pakistan. In: Proceedings IRG Annual Meeting, Lisbon, Portugal. (ISSN 2000-8953) IRG/WP 16-10857, The International Research Group on Wood Protection. Stockholm, Sweden. Section 1, Biology. 16 pp.
- Shelton, Thomas; Fye, Donald; Mankowski, Mark; Tang, Juliet. 2016. Termiticide testing continues, The USFS presents its annual termiticide report for 2015. Pest Management Professional. April. pp. 52-70.
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Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Efficacy data to satisfy the EPA registration requirements for candidate termiticides continues to be a critical service provided by the termiticide testing program of the U.S. Forest Service. Subterranean termites live in an environment where they are constantly exposed to potentially pathogenic microorganisms. Healthy termites appear to be able to control microbial growth while termites weakened by toxicant exposure exhibit a variety of fungal or bacterial infections. The potential role of symbiotic bacteria in pathogen inhibition in termite colonies is being investigated to discover how to disrupt the microbial symbionts and make a termite colony more susceptible to disease as an eco-friendly termite control strategy. During the course of this research, it was discovered for the first time that the termite species Reticulitermes tibialis Banks is established in Wisconsin. This discovery was confirmed by genetic testing along with the genetic characteristics of successful colony establishment of termites along the northern boundary of activity. A study on remote sensing of termites, funded by the National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program administered by the Federal Highway Administration, concluded that it is feasible and cost effective to use remote sensing technology to monitor valuable wooden structures such as historic covered bridges, against termite infestation and potential structural damage. TARGET AUDIENCES: Pest management professionals, wood preservation industry, standards associations, university cooperators, government agencies, structural engineers, contractors, homeowners
Impacts
For a termiticide to reach the American market where it is available for purchase by pest management professionals, it must undergo rigorous field testing prior to consideration for Federal registration by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Fundamental and applied research on termite ecology, colony behavior, and new detection technologies will lead to advanced methods for controlling termite infestations in wood-framed structures.
Publications
- Green III, Frederick; Arango, Rachel A.; Boardman, Charles R.; Bourne, Keith J.; Hermanson, John C.; Munson, Robert A. 2015. Remote sensing for detection of termite infestations⿿Proof of Concept. Proceedings IRG Annual Meeting (ISSN 2000-8953) 2015. The International Research Group on Wood Protection IRG/WP 15-10846; 2015; pp.
- Shelton, Thomas; Fye, Donald; Tang, Juliet; Mankowski, Mark 2015. Command Performance The USFS presents its annual Termiticide Report for 2014. Pest Management Professional March 2015; pp. 42-46.
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