Glycaspis brimblecombei (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) attack patterns on different Eucalyptus genotypes

Juliana Tuller; Karla Nunes Oliveira; Jhonathan Oliveira Silva; Maurício Lopes de Faria; Mario Marcos do Espírito-Santo; José Eduardo Serrão; José Cola Zanuncio

doi:10.7717/peerj.3864

Glycaspis brimblecombei (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) attack patterns on different Eucalyptus genotypes

PeerJ. 2017 Oct 24:5:e3864. doi: 10.7717/peerj.3864. eCollection 2017.

Authors

Juliana Tuller¹, Karla Nunes Oliveira², Jhonathan Oliveira Silva³, Maurício Lopes de Faria⁴, Mario Marcos do Espírito-Santo⁴, José Eduardo Serrão⁵, José Cola Zanuncio⁵

Affiliations

¹ Departmento de Biologia, Setor de Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
² Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
³ Colegiado de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Senhor do Bonfim, Bahia, Brazil.
⁴ Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
⁵ Departamento de Entomologia/BIOAGRO, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Abstract

Background: The red gum lerp psyllid, Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), an eucalypt insect pest from Australia, was reported in Brazil in 2003. This study evaluated damage patterns of this pest on Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn (Myrtaceae) and its hybrids E. urophylla X E. camaldulensis (urocam) and E. urophylla X E. grandis (urograndis). In addition, parasitism rates of Psyllaephagus bliteus Riek (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) on G. brimblecombei collected on different eucalypt genotypes are reported.

Methods: Plantation plots of three eucalypt genotypes were evaluated over one year. The eucalypt leaves were collected and examined for attack by G. brimblecombei. Nymph parasitism of G. brimblecombei by P. bliteus was recorded.

Results: Damage by G. brimblecombei was lower on the hybrid genotypes and on the adaxial surface of the eucalypt leaves. G. brimblecombei egg and nymph density were negatively correlated with monthly rainfall. Nymph parasitism of G. brimblecombei by P. bliteus was low (2.9%) independent of genotype and did not vary throughout the year.

Discussion: Our data indicate the use of less susceptible eucalypt genotypes (e.g., hybrids) as an alternative to G. brimblecombei management. Because of the current low mortality rates for G. brimblecombei resulting from P. bliteus parasitism, biological control with this natural enemy is not recommended as a management strategy for G. brimblecombei.

Keywords: Biological control; Hybrid eucalypt; Psyllaephagus bliteus; Red gum lerp psyllid; Water stress.

Grants and funding

This study was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG - Process EDT-318/05), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and Programa de Proteção Florestal (PROTEF) from the Instituto de Pesquisas e Estudos Florestais (IPEF). FAPEMIG provided a scholarship to Karla N. Oliveira (Probic-FAPEMIG), Jhonathan de O. Silva (Bic-UNIMONTES) and Mário Marcos do Espírito-Santo (BIPDT-FAPEMIG). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.