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PISTACHIO TREE - A NEW HOST FOR TWO SPECIES OF TERMITES (ISOPTERA, ARTHROPODA) FROM  IRAN

SULTAN RAVAN¹, FARKHANDA MANZOOR^2* AND GHAZALA NASIM³

Abstract: Two termite species viz., Anacanthoterms  vagans (Hagen), harvester termite and Microceroterms diversus (Silvestri) mound–building termite  are reported for the first time from  cultivated and wild pistachio trees in the main pistachio growing areas of Iran. Out of 200 plants studied, 47 were infested with termites and the rate of infestation was 23.50%. A. vagans attacked more frequently as compared to M. diversus on all three varieties of Pistacia viz., P. vera L., P. mutica Fisch. & Mey., and P. khinjuk Stocks. Percentage damage of trees was also discussed in relation to different environmental factors like soil temperature, ambient temperature, humidity, rainfall and drought. The density and species richness in termites was positively correlated with soil temperature. An enhancement in termite feeding activity also showed a direct relationship with soil temperature.

¹ Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Iran.

²Department of Zoology, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan.

³Institute of Mycology and Plant Pathology, University of the Punjab, Lahore-54590, Pakistan.