D3429: Assessing the influence of different soil types on the growth and volatile production of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.), two hosts of southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann)

     Southern Pine Beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann) negatively impacts forests in the United States by destroying pine trees and drastically affecting the lumber industry. Since the 1960s, SPB has negatively impacted the ecological and economic values of forests across North America. The range of SPB continues to expand to the Northeastern United States, causing the loss of billions of dollars worth of lumber. The attraction of SPB to pine tree species results from a mixture of volatile compounds produced by pine trees and aggregation pheromones SPB produces while actively attacking pine trees. Knowing how to stop outbreaks from spreading by influencing and/or interrupting stages of SPB spot behavior are effective management strategies currently being researched. Different soil types can impact the amount and identity of volatile compounds produced by plants. Our research aims to determine how different soil types influence the growth and volatile production of pine trees. Seedlings of two pine tree species, Loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and Longleaf (Pinus palustris Mill.), that differ in susceptibility to SPB will be planted in for soil types (silt loam, gravely sandy loam, fine sandy loam, and silty clay loam). Measurements of the seedling growth and changes in the soil will be performed periodically and volatiles will be collected on conclusion. The results of this study will help assess how soil influences pine tree’s susceptibility to SPB. Determining how these compounds influence SPB’s behavior will result in the implication of better forest management strategies.