Abstract:
The Low-Country Live-Wood Termite (Glyptotermes dilatatus) is a major pest of tea cultivation in the Low Country Sri
Lanka. They attack mostly on unhealthy tea bushes with die-back followed by wood rot. Understanding of the
relationship between wood rot associated fungal species and LCLWT infestation is important to formulate alternative
methods for managing LCLWT. This study was undertaken to identify wood rot associated fungal species in tea and to
determine the relationship between wood rot associated fungal species and LCLWT infestation. The fungi from three
stem portions of tea, both on LCLWT infested and non-infested susceptible and tolerant cultivars were isolated on
sterilized PDA medium and identified following an identification key. Thirty nine fungal species were isolated from
susceptible cultivar (TRI 4042). Among them, 81% was isolated on infested stems and 19% was isolated from non-infested stems. Many fungal species (39) were isolated from tolerant cultivar (TRI 3055). Among them, 38% was
isolated from infested stems and 35% was isolated from non-infested stems. Acremonium spp. was the most prominent
fungal species in both infested non-infested susceptible and tolerant cultivars followed by Verticillium spp and Nectria
spp. There was high variation among fungal species isolated from tolerant and susceptible cultivars as well as infested
and non infested stems. Remarkable difference was observed in the numbers of fungal species, isolated from infested
and non-infested stems in susceptible cultivar. Number of fungal species isolated from the wood closer to the pruned
surface was higher in both infested and non-infested branches of susceptible cultivar. Contrasting difference between
fungal species in infested and non-infested bushes of susceptible cultivar provide a clue to develop new control
strategies for LCLWT.
