Identification of the wood-borer and the factors affecting its attack on Caryocar brasiliense trees in the Brazilian Savanna

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The objectives of this work were to identify the wood-borer of the trunk of Caryocar brasiliense Camb. (Caryocaraceae) and the effects of tree size, chemical and physical soil attributes, and floristic diversity in its attack. The wood-boring caterpillar of the trunck of C. brasiliense belongs to the family Cossidae (Lepidoptera). The number of pupae and the amount of sawdust produced by the wood-borer per tree was higher in the pasture 1 of Montes Claros and pasture in Ibiracatu than in the other four areas (pastures and savanna in Montes Claros and savanna in Ibiracatu). The number of pupae and the amount of sawdust was highest in the trunks of trees with diameters having a breast height (DBH) more than 30 cm. This may explain the severity of attack in the areas mentioned above, which contain a higher percentage of plants with DBH> 30 cm. The soil properties also positively associate with higher attack of the woodborer on trees when the soil is rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, sum of bases, capacity of cationic exchange, and organic matter, while there was a negative correlation between attack and fine sand content. Systems with less floristic diversity, particularly trees of other species, may concentrate the attack of the wood-borer in the trunks of C. Brasiliense trees.Keywords: pequi, soil, diameter of trunk, floristic diversity. RESUMO. Identificação do broqueador de tronco e os fatores que afetam o seu ataque em árvores deCaryocar brasiliense no cerrado brasileiro. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram identificar o broqueador do tronco de Caryocar brasiliense Camb. (Caryocaraceae) e os efeitos de tamanho de árvore, atributos químico-físicos do solo e da diversidade florística em seu ataque. A lagarta broqueadora do tronco de C. brasiliense pertence à família Cossidae (Lepidoptera). O número de pupas e de serragem do broqueador por árvore foi maior na pastagem (1) em Montes Claros e pastagem em Ibiracatu do que nas outras quatro áreas (pastagens e cerrado em Montes Claros e cerrado em Ibiracatu). O número de pupas e da quantidade de serragem do broqueador foi maior em árvores cujo diâmetro de tronco na altura do peito (DAB) foi superior a 30 cm. Esse fato pode ser uma das razões para o maior ataque nas áreas mencionadas acima devido à maior percentagem de plantas com DAB > 30 cm. As propriedades do solo positivamente associadas com maior ataque do broqueador do tronco foram potássio, cálcio, magnésio, soma de bases, capacidade de troca catiônica e matéria orgânica e negativamente correlacionado com areia fina. Sistemas com menor diversidade florística, principalmente árvores de outras espécies, pode concentrar o ataque do broqueador do tronco em árvores de C. Brasiliense.Palavras-chave: pequi, solo, diâmetro do tronco, diversidade florística.

Seasonal Abundance of Galling Insects (Hymenoptera) onCaryocar brasiliense(Malpighiales: Caryocaraceae) Trees in the Cerrado

“…(Malpighiales: Caryocaraceae) is a flag species of the Cerrado, presents wide distribution (Brandão & Gavilanes 1992;Bridgewater et al 2004;Leite et al 2006a) and can reach up to 10 m high while the canopy may reach 6 m wide (Leite et al 2006a(Leite et al , 2011a(Leite et al , 2012a. The leaves of C. brasiliense are alternate, trifoliate and have high trichome density; the flowers are hermaphrodite but mostly cross pollinated.…”

<b>Effects of environmental and architectural diversity of <i>Caryocar brasiliense</i> (Malpighiales: Caryocaraceae) on <i>Edessa ruformaginata</i> (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and its biology

“…The higher numbers of E. rufomarginata were observed on the C. brasiliense trees that had the largest canopies. The larger C. brasiliense trees had more food resources than other trees did for insects to increase diversity and abundance, as was observed for woodborers (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) and populations of defoliators (Coleoptera and Lepidoptera) (Leite et al, 2011d;2012c;.…”

“…Similary, Leite et al (2006) observed more production of C. brasiliense fruits for the pasture trees (biggest trees) than for the trees on the cerrado (smallest trees) in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais State. Moreover, the farmers left forest reserves in areas with soils with poor physical structure (sandy or rocky) in the cerrado in the north of Minas Gerais State, Brazil which reduced production and the natural regeneration of C. brasiliense (Leite et al, 2006(Leite et al, , 2011d.…”

“…Some hypotheses were advanced to explain the different levels of insect abundance and diversity and include the following: 1) environments with increased complexity increase the diversity of herbivorous species associated with a host plant and, generally, decrease their abundance (Auslander, Nevo, & Inbar, 2003;Lazo, Valdes, Sampaio, & Leite, 2007); 2) host plants attributes, such as complex architecture, increase the diversity and abundance of herbivorous insects (Espírito-Santo, Neves, Andrade-Neto, & Fernandes, 2007;Leite et al, 2011c;2012c;; and 3) soil characteristics that favor trees indirectly effect the abundance of herbivorous insects (e.g. nutritional quality) (Auslander et al, 2003;Espírito-Santo et al, 2007;Leite et al, 2011d;2012c;.…”

PRIMEIRO RELATO DE Eunica bechina (LEPIDOPTERA: NYMPHALIDAE) EM S ETE LAGOAS, MINAS GERAIS, BRASIL

“…: Family : Species (References) Lepidoptera: Blastobastidae: Platinota rostrata Lepidoptera: n.i. (CA RREGA RO et al, 2009) Lepidoptera: Cossidae: n.i (LEITE et al, 2011). Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae: n.i (CARREGA RO et al, 2009).…”