Termite control in young Eucalyptus plantations in Malawi using controlled release insecticides.

The effect of controlled release granular (CRG) insecticide formulations of carbofuran, chlorpyrifos and carbosulfan on termite attack on seedlings of Eucalyptus tereticornis in Malawi was examined and compared with aldrin in nursery and field applications. Applied at the rate of 0.5g and l.Og a.i. per seedling, all three CRG insecticides significantly reduced termite-related mortality in both the nursery and the field. Carbosulfan, when applied at the rate of 0.5g a.i. per seedling in the nursery, was found to be the most effective throughout the study period reducing the mortality by 34 per cent. Two years after planting, nursery applications of the CRG insecticides were significantly more effective than field applications. Although aldrin indicated acceptable levels of control in the first year, it was found to be ineffective in subsequent years.