São Paulo prepares to combat the wood wasp

The wood wasp, one of the main causes of pine cultivation in Brazil, is beginning to cause concern among producers in the state of São Paulo. Until then, with its presence already controlled in Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, new reports of the pest's presence in São Paulo raised the alert and meetings have already been held with Embrapa Florestas, Funcema, IPEF and producer associations.

The wood wasp is a species that belongs to a family of insects called “Siricidae”, originating from Europe, Asia and North Africa. In this family there are several species that attack pine, both plants that are already dead and living plants. A species that was blocked in Brazil in 1988 and is present in most pine plantations in the country, mainly in pinus taeda e Pinus eliottii, and the sirex noctilio, known as the wood wasp. It attacks living trees, causing their death. A broad Integrated Pest Management Program was established by Embrapa Florestas and partners and has been running for 35 years, with the participation of the productive sector, through Funcema (National Forest Pest Control Fund), which brings together more than one hundred forestry companies. The execution of activities guided by the Program has allowed this important pest to be kept under control in Brazil, avoiding high-impact losses for the entire pine production chain.

However, a recent detection of a species of “Siricidae” in tropical pine plantations used for resin production, in the State of São Paulo, has worried the sector. According to Susete Chiarello Penteado, researcher at Embrapa Florestas and coordinator of the Wood Wasp Control Program, “the samples collected in the field indicate that it is another species of ‘Siricidae’, and we are already working on its identification. This is a very important step, as once the identity of the insect has been determined, we will be able to plan assertive actions to control it,” she explains.

On December 4th, a meeting was held with the participation of Embrapa Florestas and entities and producers from the State of São Paulo. At this meeting, researcher Susete Chiarello Penteado gave a presentation on the recognition of the pest, symptoms, damage and monitoring and control measures and also clarified several doubts raised by producers. 

The next step will be to hold a meeting in February 2024, in São Paulo, which will feature the participation of different institutions, such as producer associations, research institutions, state institutions, Embrapa Florestas, Funcema among others, with the aim of define an action plan for monitoring and controlling the pest in the State.

Wood wasp control

An “old acquaintance” of pine producers in the southern states, the wood wasp could have made planting in the region unfeasible. With the research work carried out, it was possible to develop an integrated pest management program, combined with biological control with the nematode deladenus siricidicola (known as Nematec) . Produced at Embrapa Florestas, the nematode is sterilized like female pests and has an average efficiency of 70%, keeping the pest under control. With the correct identification of the insect that is attacking plantations in SP, it will be possible to indicate the best form of control.