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The essential oils of composition obtained from the leaves ofCryptomeria fortunei, collected at different seasons in Wuhan (China), were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) GC–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Fifty constituents were identified, constituting 92.3–97.7% of the essential oils. Our results showed that seasonal differences did not have an effect on the composition of oils but on the amount of oil components. The main components of the oil were kaur-16-ene (30.9–42.4%), elemol (16.8–18.9%), α-eudesmol (7.4–13.6%), α-pinene (1.9–8.0%) and γ-eudesmol (4.0–7.5%). On the basis of the results obtained, some suggestions are made concerning the optimal season for theC.fortuneioils. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The persistent use of synthetic termiticides is at present of environmental concern and has resulted in the need to search for plant-derived compounds as an alternative for termite control. Antitermitic activity of Chinese cedar (Cryptomeria fortunei Hooibrenk) against Reticulitermes chinensis was demonstrated in laboratory tests. Bioactivity tests against the termite R. chinensis demonstrate that the lethal concentration (LC50) value of leaf essential oil is 2.80 mg/mL. Furthermore, α-terpineol, which was responsible for the antitermitic property and isolated from Chinese cedar that exhibited very strong antitermitic activity, was found to be significantly effective against R. chinensis with median LC50 values of 0.86 mg/mL. The findings suggested that the essential oil from Chinese cedar leaf and α-terpineol might be considered as a potent source for the production of effective, environmentally friendly and safe termiticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete mitochondrial genome of drywood termite, Incisitermes minor, is reported in this study. The circular mitogenome has a length of 15,970 bp and encodes 37 genes including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA), two ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and a non-coding control region (D-loop). The percentage of A and T (65.44%) within this mitogenome is much higher than that of G and C (34.56%). The phylogenetic tree revealed that mitogenomes of Kalotermitidae formed one clade. The tree also revealed that I. minor was closest to Cryptotermes secundus, and was a sister group to Neotermes. I. minor is a only species in which mitogenome has been completed so far among the Incisitermes termite. The data provide resource for ecological and evolution analysis within termites especially Kalotermitidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]