The Pest Status and Chemical Control of Whitegrubs and Cutworms in Forestry in the Natal Midlands
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THE PEST STATUS AND CHEMICAL CONTROL OF WHITEGRUBS AND CUTWORMS IN FORESTRY IN THE NATAL MIDLANDS by Pramanathan Govender Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in the Department of Zoology and Entomology Faculty of Science University of Natal Pietermaritzburg 1995 ABSTRACT The limited availability of land to forestry and the ensuing emphasis on intensive silviculture, developed a renewed interest in soil pests in the establishment of plantations. Ten field trials were planted over three seasons to determine the mortality factors influencing the establishment of commercial eucalypt and black wattle plantations in the Natal Midlands, and simultaneously, to investigate the chemical control of the soil pest component. A complex of indigenous soil pests contribute to an average 22,9 % failure of Acacia mearnsii and Eucalyptus grandis seedlings from reaching full establishment. This pest complex, which includes termites, whitegrubs, cutworms, tipulid larvae, wireworms, millipedes and nematodes, was responsible for an average 12,3 % of the failure of the plantings to establish. In the absence of termites, in shallow humic soils, whitegrubs followed by cutworms were the most frequent and economically important pests. Eucalypts are more susceptible than wattle seedlings to whitegrub damage when planted in marginal sites. Seedlings in the summer rainfall region were most susceptible to whitegrub damage from December to April; and to cutworm damage during the first two months after planting. An average of 398 hectares was annually damaged by whitegrubs and cutworms. The total annual loss in planting costs and the additional costs of blanking over the three year study period were 1,22 and 2,65 million rands respectively. Existing non-chemical control applicable to woodlot forestry is reported. Chemical control as one of the options in the management of whitegrubs and cutworms was evaluated. The controlled release formulations of carbosulfan 10% and chlorpyrifos 10% at 1,0 g active ingredient/tree (a.i./tree), gamma BRC 0,6% dust at 0,06 g a.i.itree and the synthetic pyrethroid deltameth,rin 5 % SC at 0,025 g a.i.ltree were persistent and effective in controlling whitegrubs, even when applied early in the planting season. Deltamethrin 5 % SC at 0,025 g a.i./tree was also successful in controlling cutworms. Keywords: whitegrub, cutworms, wattle, eucalypts, chemical control, Natal Midlands 11 PREFACE This study represents the original work of the author and has not been submitted in any form to another university. Where the author used the work of others it has been duly acknowledged in the text. Note that interim progress reports on the chemical control trials were presented in the 1991 to 1993 Annual Research Reports of the Institute for Commercial Forestry Research. However, the results presented in this thesis are based on complete and revised data sets. P. Govender / 111 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere and heartfelt thanks to: Dr R M Miller for the effort, advice and constructive comments on this thesis. Dr P R Atkinson for initiating and his active involvement in all aspects of the chemical screening trials, and the effort and advice he contributed towards this thesis. Mr R B Borthwick for introducing me to the topic of whitegrubs and for valuable discussions on possible research directions. Prof G P Y Clarke for statistical help. Mr C W Smith for classifying the soil profiles and help in interpreting the data. I Miss L A MacLennan for her charming and efficient style of editing. Mr A L Chetty for capturing the revised data and providing research support whenever it was needed. To the staff of the Institute for Commercial Forestry Research (ICFR) and University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg (UNP) students for their help, support and encouragement and to the ICFR for financial assistance. To Vani, Lerissa, Theolan and Tenushka for everything. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT . ............................................. 1 PREFACE . .............................................. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iii LIST OF PLATES ......................................... vii LIST OF FIGURES . ........... vii LIST OF TABLES . xi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION . ... 1 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE . ...... : .............. 3 CHAPTER 3: GENERAL MATERIALS AND METHODS ............ 6 CHAPTER 4: ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PEST STATUS OF WHITEGRUBS AND CUTWORMS ................. 9 4.1 Introduction ............................... 9 4.2 Method ................................. 9 4.3 Results and discussion ....................... 11 4.4 The effect of whitegrub feeding on established saplings ... 21 CHAPTER 5: SEEDLING MORTALITY FACTORS . .............. 24 5.1 Minor components of the soil pest complex .......... 24 5.1.1 Termites (Isoptera: Termitidae) ............ 24 5.1.2 Tipulids (Diptera: Tipulidae) . 24 5.1.3 Millipedes (Diplopoda: J uliformia) .......... 25 5.1.4 Eelworms (Nematoda) .................. 25 5.1.5 Wireworms (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) ....... 26 5.1. 6 Crickets and grasshoppers (Orthoptera) ....... 26 5.2 Whitegrub damage .......................... 28" 5.2.1 Description of the insect ................ 28 5.2.2 Description of damage .................. 28 5.2.3 Incidence of damage ................... 28 5.3 Cutworm damage . .... ... .. ................ 33 5.3.1 Description of the insect ................ 33 v 5.3.2 Description of damage . 34 5.3.3 Incidence of damage . 34 5.4 Si1vicultura1 and other factors . 38 )0 5.5 Influence of the abiotic environment on the incidence of whitegrub attack ......................... 39 CHAPTER 6: CONTROL MEASURES ....................... 41 6.1 Non-chemical control ........................ 41 6.1.1 Whitegrubs . ... .. .... .. .... ....... 41 6.1.1.1 Biological control . ... : . 41 /") r • 6.1.1.2 Cultural control ................ 42 6.1.1.3 Mechanical control .............. 43 6.1.2 Cutworms . ...................... 43 6.1.2.1 Biological control .............. 43 6.1.2.2 Cultural control ............... 43 6.1.2.3 Mechanical control 44 6.2 Investigations into chemical control measures for whitegrubs and cutworms . 44 6.2.1 1990191 season ...................... 44 f 6.2.1.1 Introduction .................. 44 6.2.1.2 Materials and methods . 44 6.2.1.3 Results ..................... 46 6.2.1.3.1 Whitegrub mortality ........ 47 Acacia mearnsii ....... 47 Eucalyptus grandis ...... 54 6.2.1.3.2 Cutworm mortality ........ 60 Acacia mearnsii ....... 60 Eucalyptus grandis ...... 65 6.2.1.3.3 Total mortality . ......... 71 Acacia meamsii .... .. 71 Eucalyptus grandis . 77 6.2.1.3.4 Discussion ............. 83 6.2.2 1991/92 season ...................... 84 6.2.2.1 Introduction .. ............... 84 6.2.2.2 Materials and methods ............ 84 6.2.2.3 Results ...... .............. 85 6.2.2.3.1 Whitegrub mortality. 85 Acacia mearnsii ....... 85 Eucalyptus grandis . 87 6.2.2.3.2 Cutworm mortality ........ 89 Acacia meamsii ....... 89 VI . Eucalyptus grandis ...... 91 6.2.2.3.3 Discussion ............. 92 6.2.3 1992/93 season ...................... 92 6.2.3.1 Introduction .................. 92 6.2.3.2 Materials and methods ............ 92 6.2.3.3 Results ..................... 94 6.2.3.3.1 Whitegrub mortality. 94 Acacia mearnsii ....... 94 Eucalyptus grandis ...... 96 6.2.3.3.2 Cutworm mortality ........ 97 6.2.4 Conclusions ......................... 99 6.3 Choice and cost of insecticidal treatments . .. 100 6.4 Recommendations .......... .. 102 CHAPTER 7: ESTIMATES OF ANNUAL DAMAGE IN THE NATAL MIDLANDS BY WHITEGRUBS AND CUTWORMS AND COST IMPLICATIONS OVER THE THREE YEAR STUDY PERIOD ............ 103 7.1 Estimates of newly plan ted areas that failed to establish 103 7.2 Estimates of whitegrub and cutworm damage in areas that were converted from wattle to other plantation crops and areas re-established to wattle during the study period .. 104 7.3 Estimates of whitegrub and cutworm damage in newly afforested areas during the study period . .. 106 7.4 Cost implications of whitegrub and cutworm damage .. 108 CHAPTER 8: SUMMARY 110 REFERENCES 112 APPENDIX 1: Trial WG 1 · ................... , ............. 121 APPENDIX 2: Trial WG2 · .......... ... .................... 122 APPENDIX 3: Trial WG3 · ................................. 123 APPENDIX 4: Trial WG4 · ................................. 124 APPENDIX 5: Trial WG5 · ................................. 125 APPENDIX 6: Trial WG6 · .................. .............. 126 APPENDIX 7: Trial WG7 · ................................. 127 APPENDIX 8: Trial WG8 · ................................. 128 APPENDIX 9: Trial WG9 · ............ ... .................. 129 APPENDIX 10: Trial WGlO ................................. 130 VII LIST OF PLATES Plate 1: Location of trial sites in the Natal Midlands. .... .. 8 Plate 2: Whitegrub larva and a damaged Acacia mearnsii seedling. .. .......... ... 27 Plate 3: Typical cutworm in a curled and extended position. .. 27 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Trial design illustrating the split plot (of treated and untreated trees) and the distribution of untreated trees. ......... .... .................... .. 7 Figure 2: Average height of eucalypts at six months after planting in trial WG9 . .. 22 Figure 3: Average height of eucalypts at six months after planting in trial WGI0 ........ 22 Figure 4: Average height of wattle at six months after planting in trial WG9 . 23 Figure 5: Average height 'of wattle at six months after planting in trial WGIO ........... 23 Figure 6: Incidence of whitegrub damage in trial