TERMITE SPECIES (ISOPTERA) IN EUCALYPTUS CULTURE UNDER DIFFERENT IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, IN A REGION OF TRANSITION FROM CERRADO TO PANTANAL IN MATO GROSSO DO SUL, BRAZIL

Eucalyptus suffers severe damage by termites during deployment of seedlings in the field, and it is an important pest of the crop. In the ecotone Cerrado/Pantanal there are no previous studies on the occurrence of termites in eucalyptus plantations. The objective was to know the richness of termites, their distribution in treatments and the influence of the environment on the population of termites in Eucalyptus hybrid Eucalyptus grandis x E. camaldulensis and Eucalyptus urophylla x E. grandis with fertigation by dripping, micro sprinkler and only rain (dryland). The experimental design was a randomized block design with 10 treatments and four replications. The richness of termites was associated by Correspondence Analysis and climate influence by Principal Component Analysis. Termites were collected from March 2012 to February 2013, in 432 plots of 4.0 x 2.25 m, in an area of 3 ha, following the rapid protocol for collection, observing the litter and up to 30 cm into the ground. 18 species were obtained of Termitidae, Rhinotermitidae, Heterotermitinae, Syntermitinae, Apicotermitinae and Nasutitermitinae. In treatments with dripping there was the highest total frequency with the presence of 18 species of termites in the hybrids, and no significant association. The association between termite species and treatments constituted four groups. Rainfall and relative humidity significantly influenced the termites community. Therefore, the highest species richness occurred in treatments with dripping. Among the species considered as pests of eucalyptus, Syntermes molestus stood out by their greater frequency during collections. There was a significant difference in the distribution of termite species associated with treatments between the months of collection. The richness and the distribution of termites are affected throughout the year by different irrigation managements on plantations of eucalyptus.