A novel dataset and deep learning object detection benchmark for grapevine pest surveillance.

Flavescence dorée (FD) poses a significant threat to grapevine health, with the American grapevine leafhopper, , serving as the primary vector. FD is responsible for yield losses and high production costs due to mandatory insecticide treatments, infected plant uprooting, and replanting. Another potential FD vector is the mosaic leafhopper, , commonly found in agroecosystems.

Don't touch me! Mating not always preceded by courtship behavior in predatory coccinellids.

Knowledge of the ecology and behavior of biological control agents is essential for their effective use in biocontrol and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. There is a lack of information regarding the courtship and mating traits that are crucial for successful mating in biocontrol population of coccinellids. To expand our current understanding in this area, 2 coccinellid species commonly used for the biocontrol of soft-bodied insects, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (Mulsant) and Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (Linnaeus) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), were studied.

Bridging biotremology and chemical ecology: a new terminology.

Living organisms use both chemical and mechanical stimuli to survive in their environment. Substrate-borne vibrations play a significant role in mediating behaviors in animals and inducing physiological responses in plants, leading to the emergence of the discipline of biotremology. Biotremology is experiencing rapid growth both in fundamental research and in applications like pest control, drawing attention from diverse audiences.

A multidisciplinary approach to tackling invasive species: barcoding, morphology, and metataxonomy of the leafhopper Arboridia adanae.

The leafhopper genus Arboridia includes several species that feed on Vitis vinifera and cause leaf chlorosis. We report the first alien Arboridia infestation in Italy in 2021 in an Apulian vineyard. To confirm the taxonomic status of the species responsible for crop damage, and reconstruct its demographic history, we barcoded individuals from Apulia together with Arboridia spp.

The post-diapause vibrational behavior, motility, and survival of the brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys (Stål) adults at different temperatures.

Substrate-borne vibrational communication is common in pentatomids. Although several works exist on the vibrational communication of Halyomorpha halys, its vibrational behavior post diapause has not been investigated. In this study, we recorded H.

Plant protection and biotremology: fundamental and applied aspects.

There is overwhelming evidence that synthetic pesticides have a negative impact on the environment and human health, emphasizing the need for novel and sustainable methods for plant protection. A growing body of literature reports that plants interact through substrate-borne vibrations with arthropod pests and mutualistic arthropods that provide biological control and pollination services. Here, we propose a new theoretical framework that integrates insights from biological control, the ecology of fear, and plant-borne vibrations, to address plant-insect interactions and explore new, sustainable opportunities to improve plant health and productivity.

Assessment of combustion residual leachate volume, composition, and treatment costs.

Combustion residuals and the resulting leachate from storage sites represent a large volume of wastewater in the United States (U.S.) that has not been quantified.

Effects of Irradiation on Biology and Mating Behaviour of Wild Males of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Using a 6 MV Medical Linear Accelerator.

The brown marmorated stink bug, , is a pentatomid bug of Eastern Asian origin that became an economically relevant pest in the Eurasian and American continents. Management of this species is limited to use of chemical insecticides: an inefficient method due to the strong adaptability of the target pest. The sterile insect technique (SIT) is potentially a valid tactic in the search for nontoxic alternatives.

The Effect of the Sterile Insect Technique on Vibrational Communication: The Case of (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).

The painted bug, , is an agricultural pest in its original areas (Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East), and it has recently been recorded as an invasive species in southwestern part of the US, Chile, Mexico, and two islands in the Mediterranean basin. Its polyphagous diet causes severe damage to economically important crops. The control of this pest is primarily achieved by means of synthetic pesticides, which are often expensive, ineffective, and harmful to the ecosystem.

(Hemiptera: Cicadellidae): Biology, Direct Damage and Preliminary Studies on Apple Proliferation Infection in Apple Orchard.

The mosaic leafhopper, (Matsumura), is an Asian species widespread in Europe that can cause leaf damage in wild trees and transmit disease phytoplasmas to grapevines. Following an outbreak reported in 2019 in an apple orchard in northern Italy, the biology and damage caused by this species to apples were investigated during 2020 and 2021. Our studies included observations on the life cycle, leaf symptoms associated to its trophic activity, and its capability to acquire " Phytoplasma mali," a causal agent of Apple Proliferation (AP).

Factors influencing short-term parasitoid establishment and efficacy for the biological control of Halyomorpha halys with the samurai wasp Trissolcus japonicus.

Background: Classical biological control has been identified as the most promising approach to limit the impact of the invasive pest species Halyomorpha halys (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). This study investigated the parasitism rate at sites where the biocontrol agent Trissolcus japonicus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) was released and where its unintentional introduction took place, in the Trentino-South Tyrol region. The effect of land-use composition was studied to understand which factors favor the establishment of hosts and parasitoids, including native and exotic species.

Extending the vibroscape to agroecosystems: investigating the influence of abiotic factors and monitoring insect vibrational signaling.

Environmental conditions are crucial factors that influence communication systems and affect animal behavior. Research in the field of biotremology has improved our understanding of insect behavior, ecology, and evolution. However, the interactions between vibrational signaling and environmental factors are less studied, mainly because of technical issues faced in field trials.

Coupling computational vibrational models and experimental biotremology to develop a green pest control strategy against the greenhouse whitefly .

In applied biotremology, vibrational signals or cues are exploited to manipulate the target species behaviour. To develop an efficient pest control strategy, other than a detailed investigation into the pest biology and behaviour, the role of the substrate used to transmit the signal is an important feature to be considered, since it may affect vibrations spreading and effective signal transmission and perception. Therefore, we used a multi-disciplinary approach to develop a control technique against the greenhouse whitefly, First, an vibrational disruptive noise has been developed, based on the acquired knowledge about the mating behaviour and vibrational communication of the mated species.

Alzheimer's Disease Prevention through Natural Compounds: Cell-Free, and Dissection of Hop ( L.) Multitarget Activity.

The relevant social and economic costs associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD), entail considerable efforts to develop effective preventive and therapeutic strategies. The search for natural compounds, whose intake through diet can help prevent the main biochemical mechanisms responsible for AD onset, led us to screen hops, one of the main ingredients of beer. To explore the chemical variability of hops, we characterized four hop varieties, , Cascade, Saaz, Tettnang, and Summit.

Effects of Gamma Irradiation on the Fecundity, Fertility, and Longevity of the Invasive Stink Bug Pest (Burmeister) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).

The bagrada bug, Bagrada hilaris, is an invasive insect pest in the family Brassicaceae that causes economically important damage to crops. It was originally present in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, and was reported as invasive in the southwestern part of the US, in Chile, and on a few islands in the Mediterranean Basin. In its native range, B.

Application of vibrational signals to study and manipulate an insect vector: the case of Philaenus spumarius (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae).

Background: Vibrational stimuli can support pest management as they provide environmentally friendly methods to manipulate insect pest behaviors. Different vibrational stimuli were used to study and influence the behavior of the meadow spittlebug, Philaenus spumarius, the European vector of Xylella fastidiosa. In playback experiments, we tested the reactions of the spittlebug toward the male calling signals (test 1) and the male-male signal (test 2).

Effect of vibrational mating disruption on flight activity and oviposition to control the grapevine pest, Scaphoideustitanus.

The increasing demand for safe and sustainably produced food is leading to the development of strategies of pest control alternative to chemicals. One innovative method is Vibrational Mating Disruption (VMD) to disrupt insect communication in plants. VMD was proven effective in preventing mating of the grapevine pest Scaphoideus titanus, vector of flavescence dorée.

Attraction of Egg Parasitoids and to the chemical cues of and .

and are two Asian egg parasitoids associated with different pentatomids such as . Adventive populations of were found in Northern Italy, suggesting its employment as a biological control agent (BCA) against . Nevertheless, to reduce the latter's population, was released in Italy.

Design of ideal vibrational signals for stinkbug male attraction through vibrotaxis experiments.

Background: Many groups of insects utilize substrate-borne vibrations for intraspecific communication. This characteristic makes them a suitable model for exploring the use of vibrations as a tool for pest control as an alternative to the use of chemicals. Detailed knowledge of species communication is a prerequisite to select the best signals to use.

Intrasexual Vibrational Behavior of in Semi-Field Conditions.

Insects that communicate by vibrational signals live in a complex interactive network of communication. Most studies on insect intrasexual behavior, based on plant-borne vibrational signals, have targeted few individuals. Despite their importance, behaviors that occur within groups were often overlooked.

Beneficial Insects Deliver Plant Growth-Promoting Bacterial Endophytes between Tomato Plants.

Beneficial insects and mites, including generalist predators of the family Miridae, are widely used in biocontrol programs against many crop pests, such as whiteflies, aphids, lepidopterans and mites. Mirid predators frequently complement their carnivore diet by feeding plant sap with their piercing-sucking mouthparts. This implies that mirids may act as vectors of phytopathogenic and beneficial microorganisms, such as plant growth-promoting bacterial endophytes.

Behavioral Manipulation for Pest Control.

Pest control is moving towards a dramatic reduction in pesticide-based approaches in favor of more eco-friendly strategies characterized by the promotion of ecological intensification of agriculture and reduction of human inputs (especially pesticides) [...

Vibrational communication and mating behavior of the greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae).

The greenhouse whitefly (GW), Trialeurodes vaporariorum is considered one of the most harmful insect pests in greenhouses worldwide. The GW mating behavior has been partially investigated and its vibrational communication is only in part known. A deeper knowledge of its intraspecific communication is required to evaluate the applicability of control methods based on techniques of behavioral manipulation.

Ants modulate stridulatory signals depending on the behavioural context.

Insect societies require an effective communication system to coordinate members' activities. Although eusocial species primarily use chemical communication to convey information to conspecifics, there is increasing evidence suggesting that vibroacoustic communication plays a significant role in the behavioural contexts of colony life. In this study, we sought to determine whether stridulation can convey information in ant societies.