Premium
The impact of defoliating insects on the growth of eucalypt saplings
Author(s) -
LOWMAN M. D.,
HEATWOLE HAROLD
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
australian journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1442-9993
pISSN - 0307-692X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-9993.1987.tb00938.x
Subject(s) - biology , eucalyptus , woodland , myrtaceae , horticulture , herbivore , insect , botany , agronomy
The effect of spraying insecticide on eucalypt saplings was experimentally tested in a New England woodland. Replicate branches of five species were sprayed fortnightly with Thiodan over a period of 4 months. Their leaf damage, leaf flushes, stem growth, and bud production were compared with those of control branches. Loss of leaf area to insect grazers was extremely variable, ranging from very low levels (e.g. 1.8% for sprayed new leaves of Angophora floribunda) to nearly total defoliation (97.1% for unsprayed new leaves of Eucalyptus viminalis). The sprayed branches consistently suffered less herbivory and grew more than the controls.