Tropentag, October 6 - 8, 2009 in Hamburg "Biophysical and Socio-economic Frame Conditions for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources"

A Survey of the Longhorned Beetles Species (Cerambycidae) on Acacia Trees in the Gum Arabic Belt of Sudan

Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of Forest Botany and Forest Zoology, Germany

Abstract

A field study was conducted in 2007 and 2008 in northern Kordofan state in the gum Arabic belt (Sudan) on longhorned beetles (Cerambycidae), infesting Acacia species (A. senegal, A. mellifera, A. seyal) connected with severe economical losses of gum Arabic yield. The study focused on the assessment of pest species spectrum and infestation characteristics (e.g., number, location and direction of holes of infestation). Environmental and silvicultural parameters were measured to predict the infestation; those are crown size, crown diameter, tree age, tree temperature, tree height and dbh. Spectrum and relative abundance of pest species were determined by catch results of flight interception traps, microclimatic conditions by data loggers, silvicultural parameters of trees by direct measurements.
Longhorned beetle species affecting A. senegal on the study sites were: Crossotus subocellatus (Fairmaire, 1886), Titoceres jaspideus (Audinet Serville, 1835), Crossotus albicollis (Guérin, 1844), Coelodon servum White, 1853, Doesus telephoroides Pascoe, 1862, Tithoes maculates (Fabricius, 1792), Crossotus strigifrons (Fairmaire, 1886). The results show that all of the Acacia tree species i.e. A. senegal, A. mellifera, and A. seyal indicate presence of holes of infestation by the longhorned beetles. Infestation rate of trees ranged between 20 and 100 % on the study sites (n = 6). With the exception of presence of holes in the North direction in A. senegal, holes were present in all directions of the tree trunk. A. mellifera indicated maximum presence of holes in the trunk, and A. senegal in the branches. Infestation rate correlated priminarily with the age of the trees.

Keywords: Acacia mellifera, Acacia senegal, Acacia seyal, Cerambycidae, gum belt, infestation, longhorned beetles, Sudan

Contact Address: Maymoona Ahmed Eisa, Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of Forest Botany and Forest Zoology, Piennerstr. 7, 01735 Tharandt, Germany, e-mail: maymoonaeisayahoo.com