Abstract
The twolined chestnut borer (TLCB) attacks and kills stressed oak trees, especially those that have been weakened by severe drought. We tested the hypothesis that winter root starch reserves of white oak are an indicator of tree vigor, and that trees low in stored starch are especially vulnerable to borer attack during the following summer. Only those trees that were very low in stored root starch were heavily attacked by the TLCB and showed signs of decline or died. A few oaks with high starch reserves were also successfully colonized, but those trees did not show signs of decline and did not die. Thus, winter starch reserves were generally a good predictor of TLCB attacks. Further research is needed to determine if this relationship holds for other hardwood trees and their respective wood borers. Use of root starch ratings to assess tree susceptibility to borers needs further testing in urban settings to determine its practicality for pest management.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.