Termites (Blattodea) in a homogen plantation of Pará Nut (Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl.) in the south Amazon

Abstract

Homogeneous plantations of Castanha-do-Pará in the northern region of Mato Grosso have high potential due to the local edaphoclimatic characteristics and the economic importance of this forest species. In this aspect, studying the occurrence of termites and their spatial distribution in homogeneous plantations of Pará Nut has become extremely relevant considering the lack of entomological studies for these crops and the need to subsidize technical information about the dynamics of these insects in these environments. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the occurrence and spatial distribution of underground termites in a homogeneous plantation of Pará Nut in northern Mato Grosso. The study was carried out in a 16-year-old homogeneous plantation covering an area of 28 ha; sampling was performed in grids with 40 sampling points. At each sampling point, cellulosic baits were inserted into the soil at a depth of 20 cm and remained in the field for 40 days. Two termite genera were identified, Heterotermes and Nasutitermes, with a total of 1,405 individuals; of these, 396 (28.1%) belonged to the genus Nasutitermes and 1,009 (71.8%) to the species Heterotermes tenuis. The spatial distribution pattern of termites in Pará Nut is of the aggregate type. The occurrence of the species Heterotermes tenuis in homogeneous plantings of Pará Nut must be carefully evaluated, as this species is a potential pest in this region.

Keywords:
Termites; Heterotermes; Silviculture; Amazon