Combined Effects of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae) Infestation and Treatment with Imidacloprid on Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) Leaf Radiometry

Abstract

Abstract The neonicotinoid systemic insecticide imidacloprid has proven to be an effective treatment for the prevention and control of hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae Annand) in southeastern populations of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L.). Recent studies have demonstrated that imidacloprid and A. tsugae both stimulate salicylic acid-dependent physiological responses in plant tissues responsible for plant defenses against pathogens, timing of developmental outcomes including flowering and leaf senescence, and resilience to abiotic stressors. We evaluated the interacting effects of A. tsugae presence/absence and treatment with imidacloprid on leaf optical properties indicative of photosynthetic potential, photosynthetic efficiency, and tissue senescence. Our results indicated that A. tsugae changes lower canopy leaf optical properties indicative of reduced photosynthetic potential/efficiency and accelerated senescence in mature leaves. Imidacloprid was associated with declines in photosynthetic potential and showed a largely similar, though less pronounced, effect on leaf spectral properties to that of A. tsugae.