EVALUACIÓN DEL DAÑO POR RETINIA ARIZONENSIS (HEINRICH) (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE), PARÁMETROS ESTRUCTURALES Y REGENERACIÓN NATURAL EN PINUS NELSONII (SHAW) Y P. CEMBROIDES (ZUCC.) EN MIQUIHUANA, TAMAULIPAS, MÉXICO.

The present study aims to determine the damage intensity of the pinyon pitch nodule moth, Retinia arizonensis and their possible relationship to some structural parameters: stem diameter, height and coverage, as well as the natural regeneration of Pinus cembroides and P. nelsonii. For their evaluation, sites with 2,500 m² of each species were located. A total of 136 individuals of P. cembroides were recorded, with an average damage of 10.5% (±8.1 SD) in the terminal buds. In P. nelsonii, a total of 47 individuals were found, 46 exhibited damage from R. arizonensis, averaging 4.8% (±4.5 SD), twice less than P. cembroides. We used the Kruskal-Wallis (H-Chi²) to assess the damage of R. arizonensis between species, marked significant difference (p < 0.001) was observed. Relating to the structure, P. cembroides showed the following mean values: stem diameter = 10.7 cm (±8.0 SD), height = 2.9 m (±1.0 SD) and coverage = 3.0 m² (±1.8 SD). With respect to P. nelsonii, these were: stem diameter = 10.7 cm (±4.3), height = 3.6 m (±0.8) and coverage m² = 4.2 (±1.8), these variables showed wide statistical differences (p < 0.001). When measuring the association of R. arizonensis damage, with the structural variables, P. cembroides showed a positive marginal correlation with the variables height, diameter and covering with r² = 0.12, 0.16 and 0.18, respectively (p < 0.001). However, P. nelsonii expressed non-significant correlations among R. arizonensis damage with the structural parameters. The combined influence of the three structural variables (multiple correlation r²) of R. arizonensis damage, was mostly explained in P. cembroides with r² value of 0.19 highly significant (p < 0.001). In relation to P. nelsonii, the structural variables influenced on damage percentage of R. arizonensis were not significant (p = 0.128). Natural regeneration showed percentage participation (relative to adult trees) of 20.6% for P. cembroides and 42.5% for P. nelsonii with mean height of 13.9 cm (±12.6) and 28.4 cm (±20.0) in P. cembroides and P. nelsonii, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]