Interaction study of eucalypts - gall wasp Leptocybe invasa (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae): assessment of chemical, morphological and anatomic factors of host plant

• Grant number: 12/15431-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: December 01, 2012
• End date: November 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Frederico Wilcken
• Grantee: Rosylaine Aparecida Pereira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas (FCA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Leptocybe invasa, the eucalyptus gall wasp, native of Australia and induces galls on young branches, petioles and midribs of leaves of Eucalyptus spp. Its first record occurred in 2000 in the Mediterranean region and currently is widely distributed in various regions of the world, including Asia, Africa, Oceania, Europe and the Americas. In Brazil, the gall wasp was detected in 2008, and it had spread rapidly to almost all producer regions of eucalypts. The galls induced by this micro-wasp cause serious damage to their host plants, especially those younger, and their occurrence in nurseries has affected the saplings production. L. invasa has the ability to induce galls in many species of eucalyptus, with remarkable preference for E. camaldulensis and their hybrids. In Brazil the pest was also found inducing galls successfully in several species and clones of eucalypts trees used in commercial crops. However, still do not know the exact extent of this damage in different genetic materials cultivated and the characteristics of plants are related to this difference in susceptibility. This project aims to determine which species and clones of Eucalyptus, among those most commonly cultivated in Brazil, are susceptible and resistant to gall induction by L. invasa, through preference tests and effects on insect biology, and analysis of chemical, morphological and anatomic factors of host plants.