The response of mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) to lodgepole pine trees baited with verbenone and exo-brevicomin

exo-brevicomin, a multifunctional pheromone of the mountain pine beetle,Dendroctonus ponderosae, was tested at release rates of 0.5 and 2.5 mg/day alone and in combination with the antiaggregation pheromone verbenone against unbaited controls. Significantly more lodgepole pinePinus contorta var.latifolia trees were attacked, and at higher densities, with both release rates ofexo-brevicomin than with all other treatments. Verbenone significantly reduced the response of mountain pine beetles toexo-brevicomin. Verbenone alone did not reduce the number of trees attacked by mountain pine beetle or the attack density when compared to the unbaited controls.     

基于阈值分割的松材线虫病树计数与定位

松材病虫病是最紧迫的威胁之一,最近对中国针叶林造成了严重破坏,为了阻止松材病虫病的快速传播,必须在早期准确检测和计数受感染的树木。提出了一种基于密度图的方法,用于从高分辨率航拍图像中估计具有松材病虫病的树木数量,方法引入了阈值分割、形态处理和超像素技术,以最大限度地减少由于建筑物和岩石等相似背景物体引起的误差。实验表明,所提出的方法优于密度学习 算法,平均绝对误差、均方根误差和绝对误差方差分别从21.3、22.2和127.2减少到8.0、11.7和59.6,计数准确率从54.7%提高到81.3%。     

Mineral nutrition of slash pine in subtropical Australia. II. foliar nutrient response to fertilization

In the previous paper, we reported the stand growth of slash pine (Pinus elliottii) during the first 11.5 years of plantation in response to (1) initial fertilization at plantation establishment with P rates of 11, 22, 45 and 90 kg P ha^–1 which were either banded or broadcast in the presence or absence of basal fertilizers containing 50 kg N ha^–1, 50 kg K ha^–1 and 5 kg Cu ha^–1 and (2) application of additional 40 kg P ha^–1 at age 10 years. Here we present the responses in foliar nutrient concentrations of slash pine in the first 11.5 years to the initial fertilization and the additional P applied at age 10 years.Foliar N and K concentrations in the first 9.6 years of plantation decreased with the initial P rate. Application of the basal fertilizers improved foliar Cu concentration. Foliar Ca and Mg concentrations increased linearly with the initial P rate. The initial fertilization did not affect foliar Mn concentration in the first 9.6 years. Foliar P concentration increased quadratically with the initial P rate, which accounted for 77–86% of the variation in foliar P concentration. Most of the explained variation in foliar nutrient concentrations was attributable to the plantation age except for foliar P concentration. In the case of foliar P concentration, 53% was explained by the initial P rate, 31% by the plantation age and 2% by the positive interaction between the initial P rate and the plantation age. Foliar P concentration of slash pine at age 11.5 years increased quadratically with the initial P rate and linearly with the additional 40 kg P ha^–1 applied at age 10 years, accounting for 81% of the variation in the foliar P concentration. Foliar nutrient analysis indicated that P was the major limiting nutrient affecting the stand growth of slash pine in the first 11.5 years.     

Significance of Wood Terpenoids in the Resistance of Scots Pine Provenances Against the Old House Borer, Hylotrupes bajulus, and Brown-Rot Fungus, Coniophora puteana

We tested how terpenoid (i.e., monoterpenes and resin acids) composition and concentration in wood affects resistance against wood-borers and decaying fungi. Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) wood from nine provenances having variable terpenoid profiles was studied against the old house borer, Hylotrupes bajulus, and the decay fungus, Coniophora puteana. Provenances represented a 1200-km N-S transect from Estonia to northern Finland, but they were all cultivated for 7 years in the same nursery field, in central Finland. Mean relative growth rate (MRGR) of small H. hajulus larvae positively correlated with the total monoterpene concentration of wood, and feeding was associated with high proportion of levopimaric+palustric acid in wood. Provenance did not affect the MRGR of small or big larvae, but big larvae consumed more wood and produced more frass on the northern Ylitornio trees than on the southern Rakvere and Ruokolahti trees. Low beta-pinene and total monoterpene concentration and low beta: alpha-pinene ratio in wood were all associated with a high number of eggs. The most northern Muonio provenance was the most favored as an oviposition site, differing significantly from Saaremaa, Tenhola, and Suomussalmi. Wood from Saaremaa, Tenhola, Ruokolahti, and Suomussalmi provenance was most resistant against decay fungus, differing significantly from that of Kinnula provenance. However, decay resistance was not clearly associated with the concentrations of wood terpenoids. These results suggest that monoterpene composition of wood affects resistance against wood-boring Cerambycid beetles, but resistance against wood-decaying fungi is not as clearly associated with wood terpenoids.     

Outdoor attractancy of males ofMatsucoccus josephi (Homoptera: Matsucoccidae) andElatophilus hebraicus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) to synthetic female sex pheromone ofMatsucoccus josephi

The active component of the sex pheromone ofMatsucoccus josephi is (2E,6E,8E)-5,7-dimethyl-2,6,8-decatrien-4-one; the chemical is also a powerful kairomone of adult males and females of the bugElatophilus hebraicus the principal predator ofM. josephi. The presence of theZ isomer (2E,6Z,8E)-5,7-dimethyl-2,6,8-decatrien-4-one does not interfere with the attractancy of the activeE component forM. josephi males or the bug. Our results show a clear dose-response between trap catch ofM. josephi males andE. hebraicus. Conversely, increasing amounts of theZ isomer in the mixture did not affect the attraction of the scale insect males or the bug. The catch ofM. josephi males did not differ significantly among traps of different color, and was significantly higher with traps attached to the tree trunk than those suspended between trees. Comparison of the catch ofM. josephi among the three forests and between pine species suggests that the level of infestation ofPinus halepepsis andPinus brutia ssp.brutia is similar, despite the fact that the latter pine is resistant to the scale insect. Both sexes ofE. hebraicus were trapped in much lower numbers at the more infested sites. This may be related to interference with the activity ofE. hebraicus due to deterioration and drying of parts of the tree crowns and heavy colonization by generalist predators in injured trees.     

Monoterpene concentrations in fresh,senescent, and decaying foliage of singleleaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla Torr. & Frem.: Pinaceae) from the western Great Basin

Senescent foliage from pines is potentially a large contributor to the total monoterpene content of the litter layer, and the availability of these compounds as phytotoxins may result from release of these compounds into the vapor phase. In order to determine the fate of several monoterpene hydrocarbons in the natural environment, we examined their concentrations in fresh, senescent, and decaying needles from 32 single-leaf pinyon pine (Pinus monophylla Torr. & Frem.: Pinaceae) trees growing at two different locations. Total monoterpene content was highest in the fresh needles (mean=5.6 ± 2.2 mg/g extracted air dry weight), but also remained relatively high in senescent needles (mean=3.6 ±1.8 mg/g extracted air dry weight), either still attached to the tree or forming the freshest layer of understory litter. Decaying needles within a dark decomposing layer of litter material 5–20 cm from the surface were found to contain much lower amounts of total monoterpenes (average: =0.12 ±0.06 mg/g extracted air dry weight). Further investigation of the fate of these compounds in the pinyon understory is required to determine if these hydrocarbons are indeed exerting phytotoxic characteristics.     

Allelopathic properties ofPolygonella myriophylla

Polygonella myriophylla is a perennial shrub endemic to the Florida scrub. Striking bare zones surround maturePolygonella stands. Quantitative measurements of root distribution show that fewPolygonella roots extend into the bare zones, supporting the hypothesis that the bare zones result from chemical interference byPolygonella with the growth of other species. Bioassays of soils collected biweekly for one year from beneathPolygonella, the bare zone, and adjacent grassed areas confirm that the germination and growth of grasses is reduced inPolygonella soil and soil from the surrounding bare zone. Compared to adjacent grassed area soil, the average germination of bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) was 71% inPolygonella soil and 81% in bare zone soil, and average shoot dry weight was 48% inPolygonella soil and 81% in bare zone soil. Seasonal variation in the inhibition of grass germination and growth was not pronounced.     

Field response ofDendroctonus brevicomis toexo-brevicomin,frontalin, and myrcene released at two proportions and three levels

Racemicezo-brevicomin, racemic frontalin, and myrcene were released at two proportions (51400 and 111), each at three levels (1 ×, 10 ×, and 100 ×) in a ponderosa pine forest in central California. The 51400 mix was based on an estimate of the relative amounts released from a ponderosa pine under attack by the western pine beetle,Dendroctonus brevicomis. MoreD. brevicomis were trapped at a source of the three compounds released at 51400 than were trapped at a source released at 111, at all three levels, but this difference was statistically significant only at the 1 × and 10 × levels. Sex ratio of trapped beetles and distribution of catch at the source of attractant and 5 m away apparently did not differ between relative release rates.Coleoptera: Scolytidae.Trade names are mentioned solely for information. No endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is implied.     

Laboratory and field tests with the synthetic sex pheromone of threeMatsucoccus 1 pine bast scales

Matsunone, (2E,4E)-4.6,10,12-tetramethyl-2,4-tridecadien-7-one, is the primary sex pheromone ofMatsucoccus resinosae, M. thunbergianae, andM. matsumurae. The synthetic compound was tested in the laboratory and in field tests with all three species, and significantly more males responded to synthetic matsuone than to controls. The attraction of synthetic matsuone to males in field tests was not significantly different from that of virgin females at the same matsuone release rate. An analog of matsuone previously shown to be biologically active was also tested in the laboratory withM. resinosae andM. thunbergianae, and field tested withM. resinosae. The active analog required a dose approximately 100 times greater than matsuone to yield maximum laboratory bioassay response, and in field tests, attraction was not significantly different from controls at doses at which matsuone was significantly attractive.Homoptera: Coccoidea: Margarodidae.Deceased.     

Inhibitory Effect of Monoterpenes on Response of Pityogenes bidentatus to Aggregation Pheromone Released by Piezoelectric Sprayer for Precision Release of Semiochemicals

A piezoelectric sprayer for dispensing semiochemicals was developed and used for a field test of bark beetle semiochemicals. The sprayer consists of a geared pump that pushes a syringe slowly to dispense semiochemicals in solvents through a microtube to a glass micropipet fixed to a piezoelectric high-frequency vibrator. The frequency is adjusted via a function generator to about 120 kHz until the harmonic properties of the glass micropipet, drawn by an electrophysiological pipet puller, cause vibrations that atomize the solvent from the micropipet tip. The sprayer, syringe, pump, function generator, and power supply were hung on one arm of a rotating trap pair (traps 6 m apart) that was slowly rotated at 2 revolutions per hour (rph) to even out the position effects on trap catches. The aggregation pheromone components of Pityogenes bidentatus, grandisol and cis-verbenol, were released by standard tube dispensers in one trap and compared to the release of similar amounts by the sprayer in the other trap. No significant differences in catch were observed. No effect of the solvent hexane on aggregation could be observed. The trap pair also caught approximately equal numbers of bark beetles when the baits were identical. The release of (+)and (–)--pinene, (+)-3-carene, and terpinolene, monoterpenes of host Scotch pine, Pinus sylvestris, at increasing rates from 0.01 to 10 log-equivalents in decadic steps (each at 0.1–100 g/min) resulted in decreasing responses to aggregation pheromone (only 9% at highest rate). Inhibition by the individual monoterpenes tested at the 100 g/min rate was significant for (+)and (–)--pinene and terpinolene (12, 13, and 15% of control, respectively). The inhibition by the host Scotch pine monoterpenes may allow P. bidentatus to avoid resistant trees that release large amounts of toxic monoterpenes in their resin and instead colonize dying and diseased limbs or slash, the usual host substrate. The piezoelectric sprayer should prove generally useful to dispense precise amounts of semiochemicals in field and laboratory experiments.