Management of Sirex noctilio populations in exotic pine plantations: critical issues explaining invasion success and damage levels in South America

JUAN CORLEY; MARÍA VICTORIA LANTSCHNER; ANDRÉS MARTINEZ; DEBORAH FISCHBEIN; JOSÉ MARÍA VILLACIDE

JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE

SPRINGER HEIDELBERG

Lugar: HEIDELBERG; Año: 2019 vol. 92 p. 131 - 142

1612-4758

Plantation forestry with non-native trees is steadily increasing in South America and alien pest problems are also accumulating, as a consequence of the growing international movement of people and goods. Among these, the European woodboring wasp Sirex noctilio stands out as one of the most important threats to pine stands in this continent. Here, we present an overview of studies on the ecology and on the control practices deployed against this forest insect in South America. While we note that generally, management actions have been largely adopted from elsewhere, there has been a lack of local adaptation and of a critical evaluation of local successes and failures. In contrast, a number of research works carried out in this region, has shed new light on several aspects of the ecology and behavior of S. noctilio. The knowledge acquired in South America allows us to look retrospectively at critical issues that explain woodwasp invasion success and damage levels, and to identify specific research areas that warrant further work for this forest pest worldwide. We emphasize the need of population ecology studies both in the invaded and native ranges, the development of comparative sampling protocols, and detailed studies aimed at evaluating the role played by natural enemies in preventing highly damaging, large scale population outbreaks. These demands may be generalized to needs that may help us manage this and other invasive pests in plantation forestry with non-native trees in the Southern Hemisphere.