Effects of defoliation of Pericopsis elata (Harms) van meeuwen by the leaf tying moth, Lamprosema lateritialis Hampson (Lepidoptera : pyralidae)
1996
Atuahene, S. K. N.
The effects of defoliation by L. lateritialis on six month old seedlings of P. elata were studied at the Forestry Research Institute's (FORIG) nursery at Mesewam, near Kumasi. Thirty-one per cent of seedling mortality was directly attributed to the repeated defoliation by the caterpillars over a one-year period. In two separate experiments at Asenanyo river and Bia-Tano Forest Reserves, two-year old saplings of P. elata were subjected to different levels of mechanical defoliation to simulate L. lateritialis attack for a period of 10 months. The results in both localities were remarkably similar indicating different responses to height and girth growth at various levels of defoliation. Whereas a relatively small foliage reduction of about 25 per cent significantly (P.LT.0.05) decreased girth growth among the saplings, a much higher level of foliage reduction (.LT.50%) was neede to effect any significant change in mean height increment of the plants during the same period. Possible reasons for the disparity in girth and height increment responses to defoliation are discussed. It is concluded that any future efforts to establish plantationa of P. elata must address the problem of defoliation by L. lateritialis.
اظهر المزيد [+] اقل [-]الكلمات المفتاحية الخاصة بالمكنز الزراعي (أجروفوك)
المعلومات البيبليوغرافية
تم تزويد هذا السجل من قبل Forestry Research Institute of Ghana