Effect of two insect pests on Acacia auriculiformis tree growth and form in Australias Northern Territory

Montagu K. D., . and Woo K. C., . Effect of two insect pests on Acacia auriculiformis tree growth and form in Australias Northern Territory. pp. 492-502. ISSN 0128-1283

The occurrence and damage caused by two insect pests of Acacia auriculiformis was assessed four months after planting in two clonal seed orchards containing trees from the Queensland Papua New Guinea and Northern Territory provenances. The effect of insect damage on tree growth and form was subsequently measured over a 16-month period. Four months after planting when the trees averaged 1.3m in height the insects Platymopsis humeralis F. (Coleoptera Cerambycidae) and Mictis profana F. (Hemiptera Coreidae) were present on 8 and 36 of the trees respectively. However both the insects caused damage to more than 50 of the trees at the two sites. Platymopsis humeralis girdled the main stem of the juvenile trees which reduced tree height growth by 0.4”0.5 m in the six months following girdling. Mictis profana caused the death of 10-15 of the tree shoot tips but this had no measurable effect on tree growth. No provenance variation was observed in either the degree of insect attack or effect on tree growth or form. Twenty months after planting there was no apparent effect on tree form and no further reduction in tree height growth.

Full text available from: Official URL: http://www.frim.gov.my/v1/JTFSOnline/jtfs/v11n2/49...

Abstract

The occurrence and damage caused by two insect pests of Acacia auriculiformis was assessed four months after planting in two clonal seed orchards containing trees from the Queensland Papua New Guinea and Northern Territory provenances. The effect of insect damage on tree growth and form was subsequently measured over a 16-month period. Four months after planting when the trees averaged 1.3m in height the insects Platymopsis humeralis F. (Coleoptera Cerambycidae) and Mictis profana F. (Hemiptera Coreidae) were present on 8 and 36 of the trees respectively. However both the insects caused damage to more than 50 of the trees at the two sites. Platymopsis humeralis girdled the main stem of the juvenile trees which reduced tree height growth by 0.4”0.5 m in the six months following girdling. Mictis profana caused the death of 10-15 of the tree shoot tips but this had no measurable effect on tree growth. No provenance variation was observed in either the degree of insect attack or effect on tree growth or form. Twenty months after planting there was no apparent effect on tree form and no further reduction in tree height growth.

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Item Type:	Article
AGROVOC Term:	Insect pests
AGROVOC Term:	Coleoptera
AGROVOC Term:	Hemiptera
AGROVOC Term:	Acacia auriculaeformis
AGROVOC Term:	Growth
AGROVOC Term:	Infestation
AGROVOC Term:	Branches
AGROVOC Term:	Trees
AGROVOC Term:	Tropical forests
AGROVOC Term:	Provenance
Depositing User:	Ms. Suzila Mohamad Kasim
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 06:27
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/22459

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