TERMITE TRAIL-FOLLOWING SUBSTANCES PRODUCED BY BROWN-ROT FUNGI

Chemical substances prepared from wood decayed by Serpula lacrymans an d mycelia of Gloeophyllum trabeum were used for the determination of t heir termite trail-following activities by bioassay. The trail-followi ng activity of G. trabeum mycelia was 10(5) times as high as that of S . lacrymans decayed wood, although further isolations resulted in the decrease of activity. GC-MS-SIM, analysis showed that G. trabeum mycel ia peaks corresponded with DTE-OH that was involved in termite trail-f ollowing activity. Trail-following active compound in S. lacrymans was not DTE-OH. It is possibly a type of alcohol, although to confirm thi s further work is needed.