Indigenous Megaplatypus mutatus associated to wilting of Casuarina in Argentina

RAMOS, SERGIO; CERIANI NAKAMURAKARE, ESTEBAN DANIEL; GOMEZ, DEMIAN; LANDI, LUCAS

Congreso; IUFRO 07.03.05 - 0.7.03.12 ¨A Global Perspective on The Ecology and Management of Bark and Wood Boring Insects¨; 2015

Casuarina cunninghamiana (Australian pine) is adapted to a broad range of site conditions. In Argentina C. cunninghamiana is broadly used in ornamental gardens, groves guard for animals and windbreak in citrus plantations, reducing windbreak fruit damage and preventing the spread of citrus canker (cancrosis). Wilting symptoms have been reported since 2007 without knowing the causal agent. In recent years the situation has worsened and many farms have completely lost their windbreaks. In this work the health status of the windbreaks was evaluated in 20 randomly selected farms along the citrus region (Citrus cultivation covers about 6500 km2 in Entre Rios and Corrientes Provinces). The stems were externally and internally examined, cutted into logs of 20 cm long and put in insect chambers. Ethanol -baited traps were placed in the windbreaks rows. Wilted C. cunninghamiana were found in 55% of the farms while the loss of windbreak was among 5% and 90%. An ambrosia beetle, Megaplatypus mutatus emerged from logs and traps. Casuarinas both wilted and non-wilted had multiple entry holes and galleries of M. mutatus around of the stem. Additionally others species of Scolytinae and Platypodinae beetles were captured in the traps, which would be involved in the wilting of casuarinas.