Description of damages and volume of wood phytomass of Cassia siamea lam stems cut for Coccoderus novempunctatus (coleoptera:cerambycidae)

Cerambycids that promote breaking of branches or stems may cause damage to several forest species, in economical plantings or even in trees used in urban afforestation. Coccoderus novempunctatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is one of these cases. The damage accomplished by the larvae propitiates the fall branches of many forest species, and in the case evaluated in this study, can cause fall of Cassia siamea stems or part of these. Cassia siamea is a forest specie used in afforestation and in recovery of ecologically disturbed areas. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the damages caused by C. novempunctatus on C. siamea through lesions diagnoses and volume quantification of wood of stems sectioned by it. Five plots were demarcated in a secondary forest where the insect action had been registered. C. siamea stems cut by insect had their diameter in the cut point measured as well as total length. Wood volumes were calculated by using the Smalian method. Average diameter in the cut point, and the average length of C. siamea stems cut by C. novempunctatus was 9.07 cm and 6.31 m, respectively. Average wood volume of these stems with and without bark was 0.0261 and 0.0218 m³, respectively.

Afforestation; Forest pests; Leguminosae