Can Pest Management and Cultivar Affect Infestations on Hazelnut?

The big bud mite is a resurgent pest of hazelnut, , causing substantial yields reductions in many productive areas. Mites colonise and develop within healthy buds which become swollen, with subsequent alteration to the plant's development. To date, there has been limited knowledge on how the cultivar and pest management strategies affect infestations.

Genomic and Pathogenic Characterization of Isolated from Living Mite Infesting Hazelnut Big Buds.

The capability of entomopathogenic fungi to live as plant endophytes is well established. However, their presence in undiscovered environmental niches represents the beginning of a new challenging research journey. Recently, (Ascomycota, Cordycipitaceae) (Petch) Spatafora, Kepler & B.

A bud's life: Metabarcoding analysis to characterise hazelnut big buds microbiome biodiversity.

Despite Corylus avellana L. being an economically important shrub species known for its resilience to adverse environmental conditions, it constantly faces attacks from a plethora of biotic entities. Among these, the mite pest Phytoptus avellanae is gaining importance, causing economic losses every year.

Life tables in entomology: A discussion on tables' parameters and the importance of raw data.

Life tables are one of the most common tools to describe the biology of insect species and their response to environmental conditions. Although the benefits of life tables are beyond question, we raise some doubts about the completeness of the information reported in life tables. To substantiate these doubts, we consider a case study (Corcyra cephalonica) for which the raw dataset is available.

Are the ladybugs Cryptolaemus montrouzieri and Exochomus quadripustulatus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) candidate predators of Toumeyella parvicornis (Hemiptera: Coccidae)?

Background: Toumeyella parvicornis is an alien pest of recent introduction in Italy that infests stone pines (Pinus pinea L.), its main host plant in Europe. Infestations are currently controlled through endotherapic treatments, but the high costs and the long-term inefficacy highlight the need for alternative control strategies applicable in natural systems as well.

Toumeyella parvicornis versus endotherapic abamectin: three techniques, 1 year after.

Background: Toumeyella parvicornis is an invasive soft scale insect native to North America that is rapidly spreading in Italy and France, provoking severe infestations on Pinus pinea L. To date, the control of this pest is entrusted to three endotherapic techniques whose short-term efficacy is partially known. No information on long-term efficacy is currently available, although fundamental.

Using Species Distribution Models (SDMs) to Estimate the Suitability of European Mediterranean Non-Native Area for the Establishment of (Hemiptera: Coccidae).

The pine tortoise scale, , is an insect native to the Nearctic region that is able to infest several species. It can cause weakening, defoliation and, at high infestation levels, tree death. After its first report in Italy in 2015, the pest spread rapidly over the surrounding areas and was reported in France in 2021.

Effects of Biochar on the Growth and Development of Tomato Seedlings and on the Response of Tomato Plants to the Infection of Systemic Viral Agents.

Biochar is a rich carbon product obtained by pyrolysis of biomass under a limited supply of oxygen. It is composed mainly of aromatic molecules, but its agronomic value is hard to evaluate and difficult to predict due to its great variable characteristics depending on the type of starting biomass and the conditions of pyrolysis. Anyway, it could be used as soil amendment because it increases the soil fertility of acidic soils, increases the agricultural productivity, and seems to provide protection against some foliar and soilborne diseases.

Endotherapic treatment to control Toumeyella parvicornis Cockerell infestations on Pinus pinea L.

Background: The pine tortoise scale, Toumeyella parvicornis (Cockerell, 1897), is a damaging insect pest native to North America. Its accidental introduction into Europe, where it was first reported in central-southern Italy, is leading to severe infestations among stone pine trees, Pinus pinea L. causing severe infestations and generating a major risk to the health and safety of the citizens as well.

The fungal community associated with the ambrosia beetle Xylosandrus compactus invading the mediterranean maquis in central Italy reveals high biodiversity and suggests environmental acquisitions.

In summer 2016 a severe infestation of the alien ambrosia beetle Xylosandrus compactus was recorded from the Mediterranean maquis in the Circeo National Park in Central Italy. Trees and shrubs were infested and displayed wilting and necrosis of terminal branches caused by the combined impact of the insect and associated pathogenic fungi. A preliminary screening carried out on captured adults resulted in the isolation of a discrete number of fungal taxa with different life strategies, ranging from true mutualist (e.

Modelling Adult Male Populations: A Physiologically Based Approach with Validation.

The Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), (Matsumura), is a harmful insect pest for soft fruit cultivations. Even though its main hosts belong to the genera and , its high polyphagy and adaptability to new environments makes it a serious problem for farmers worldwide, who have reported several economic losses because of this pest. A wide series of proposals to control SWD are available and operate in line with the mechanisms of integrated pest management, demonstrating their high efficiency when applied at the opportune moment.

a new species from Ecuador (Hymenoptera: Dryinidae).

Background: is a speciose genus widespread in all zoogeographical regions, except Antarctica.

New Information: A new species, sp. n.

Discovery of a new species of Embolemus Westwood (Hymenoptera: Embolemidae) from New Caledonia.

Embolemus villemantae sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Embolemidae) is described from New Caledonia.

Fungal community associated with adults of the chestnut gall wasp Dryocosmus kuriphilus after emergence from galls: Taxonomy and functional ecology.

The diversity of the fungal community associated with adults of Dryocosmus kuriphilus following emergence was examined using HTS analysis. Ascomycota dominated the fungal core-biome community. The functional guilds of the 90 taxa forming the core-biome were assessed, demonstrating three main groups: saprotrophs, plant pathogens and entomopathogens.

Discovery of the transantarctic distribution of the genus Metanteon Olmi (Hymenoptera: Dryinidae), with description of a new species from New Caledonia.

Metanteon poirieri sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Dryinidae: Anteoninae) is described from New Caledonia.

An updated checklist of the extant Western Palaearctic Dryininae (Hymenoptera, Dryinidae).

A checklist of 20 extant species of Dryininae (Hymenoptera, Dryinidae) from the Western Palaearctic subregion is presented.

A new species of the genus Latreille (Hymenoptera, Dryinidae) from the USA.

A new species of Latreille, 1804, is described from Georgia (USA). . is morphologically similar to (Perkins, 1907) and Guglielmino and Olmi, 2013, but is distinguished by the lateral ocelli not touching the occipital carina (in the other two species, the lateral ocelli touch the occipital carina).

sp. n., a new Pincer wasp from Jalisco, Mexico (Hymenoptera, Dryinidae).

A new species of Ljungh, 1810, , from Jalisco, Mexico, is described and illustrated. In the Neotropical region, is similar to Olmi, 1998, but it is distinguished by the black mesosoma (except prothorax, mesoscutum, and mesoscutellum that are yellow), and the metapostnotum being granulated and not rugose; in the mesosoma is completely black and the metapostnotum is granulated and strongly rugose. In the Nearctic region, the new species is morphologically similar to Krombein, 1962, but it is distinguished by the dull and granulated metapostonotum; in the metapostnotum is shiny and unsculptured.

A new species of the genus Perkins (Hymenoptera, Dryinidae) from the USA.

A new species of Perkins, 1907, is described from the USA, Texas: . Morphologically the new species is similar to (Olmi, 1984), but it is distinguished by the head lacking a frontal line and the forewing crossed by two dark transverse bands; in the head shows a conspicuous frontal line and the forewing is hyaline and without dark transverse bands.

Does Gnomoniopsis castanea contribute to the natural biological control of chestnut gall wasp?

Gnomoniopsis castanea has been reported as the causal agent of necrosis of chestnut wasp (Dryocosmus kuriphilus) galls. The fungus is frequently observed on galls in chestnut stands infested by the insect in Italy. In the present study the impact of gall necrosis and the dynamic of its development have been studied in mature and young Castanea sativa stands in Central Italy during spring and early summer, before the D.