Every year there are 600,000 US homes plagued by termites. On that account, one University in West Lafayette, Indiana, developed a new technology approach on how to help pest control companies to end this scourge and prevent vast devastation.
Many believed that termites are proven to be one of the homeowners' greatest adversaries, hence, Purdue University started to study their characteristics and from then on the researchers were able to develop a new technology approach. This approach works wherein the researchers will target specific genes that help these pests to fight fungus, which is used to eliminate them.
Associate lecturer, Michael Scharf of Purdue's Department of Entomology is the one who leads the team to develop this new technology approach, according to him, the better way to control these pests is to understand their behavior and characteristics. He even included that sometimes, pest control like insecticides is powerless unless an approach that will dismantle termite's resistance genes to fungus is needed.
Also, Scharf pointed out those simply using insecticides to control these pests is not enough. In their study showed that if there is a combined insecticide and fungus, it will eliminate all termites, he added.
The previous study in Wageningen UR and in Benin, West Africa proved that this combination of fungus and insecticide can really help to combat malaria mosquito. In fact, it has been tested in West Africa and recently used to control termites.
As of now, this new technology approach has been filed for a non-provisional patent and available for license. Will this be the best solution in ending the damage brought by these termites?
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