EFFECTS OF Oracella acuta (HOMOPTERA:PSEUDOCOCCIDAE) ON THE GROWTH OF Pinus elliottii

Studied the influence of the loblolly mealybug, Oracella acuta , on the growth of the slash pine, Pinus elliottii , in Guangdong province.The damage degree of the slash pine is divided by the symptom of damaged pine.The results showed that growths of height and lateral shoots were reduced by 23.7% and 25.8% respectively in heavily damaged stands .Height growth,diameter growth at breast height,fresh weight of one year old needles,volume growth of severely damaged trees declined by 26.8%,30.3%,47.6% and 33.5% respectively. In the heavy damaged stands which have been infested by O.acuta for five years, the results showed that the volume of damaged trees dropped within five years in which the second and third year had great difference compared with the contrast, and the growth of the slash pine was less affected in the fifth year. The total volume loss of damaged stands amounted to 3 964 m 3 per hectare during the five years.