The influence of damage level in Pinus sylvestris foliage on the performance of diprionid sawflies

Abstract

I tested the presence of rapid and delayed induced resistance in Pinus sylvestris L. by biotests, rearing three species of diprionid sawflies on defoliated and undefoliated trees. I damaged the pines artificially by cutting mature needles with scissors at the beginning of the growing season. Four levels of defoliation were created on the basis of levels of removed needle biomass. Sawfly larval and cocoon weights were retarded and relative growth rates delayed as a result of an increase in damage level. The larval periods were prolonged at most 2–6 days. The response to the damage was partly species‐specific. The needle water content decreased in the following growing season in connection with low and moderate damage and increased at high damage levels. The nutrient contents of the foliage in the damaged and undamaged trees did not differ significantly. The Scots pine showed damage‐induced changes in food quality after extensive defoliation, which affected, via plant, species using the same host.