Megaplatypus mutatus (Chapuis) (Curculionidae: Platypodinae) in a Khaya grandifoliola (Meliaceae) plantation in Brazil

• Ano de defesa: 2021
• Autor(a) principal: Covre, Luana de Souza
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal de Viçosa; Fitotecnia
• Palavras-chave em Português: Besouros; Armadilhas para insetos; Feromônio; Cairomônios; Gomose; Proteção Florestal
• Link de acesso: https://locus.ufv.br//handle/123456789/30760

The ambrosia beetle Megaplatypus mutatus (Curculionidae: Platypodinae), native to South America, has been reported as the main insect pest in poplar plantations in Argentina and Italy. Megaplatypus mutatus differs from the majority of ambrosia beetle species by M. mutatus attacking live and vigorous host trees. In this study, we reported for the first time M. mutatus attacks on African mahogany trees, Khaya grandifoliola (Meliaceae) with a preference to trees with a DBH larger than 15 cm. Most trees had one or two attacks concentrated at heights up to 2 m high on the trunk. We discussed the plant defense mechanisms involved against M. mutatus attacks, and provided the first information on its flight activity in Brazil with a multivoltine flight behavior. Female beetles responded to its sex pheromone blend and pioneer males did not respond to the kairomone ethanol. Keywords: Attack height. Gummosis. Kairomone. Pheromone. Tree trunk diameter. Voltinism.