A team of international researchers has sequenced the genome
of the Nevada dampwood termite, providing an inside look into the biology of
the social insect and uncovering new genetic targets for pest control.
Michael Scharf, a Purdue University professor of entomology
who participated in the collaborative study, said the genome could help
researchers develop control strategies that are more specific than the
broad-spectrum chemicals conventionally used to treat termite infestations.