Performance of Outbreak Management Plans for Emerging Plant Diseases: The Case of Almond Leaf Scorch Caused by in Mainland Spain.

Outbreak response to quarantine pathogens and pests in the European Union (EU) is regulated by the EU Plant Health Law, but the performance of outbreak management plans in terms of their effectiveness and efficiency has been quantified only to a limited extent. As a case study, the disease dynamics of almond leaf scorch, caused by , in the affected area of Alicante, Spain, were approximated using an individual-based spatial epidemiological model. The emergence of this outbreak was dated based on phylogenetic studies, and official surveys were used to delimit the current extent of the disease.

Risk-based regionalization approach for area-wide management of HLB vectors in the Mediterranean Basin.

Huanglongbing (HLB) is one of the most devastating citrus diseases worldwide. It is associated with the non-culture bacteria Liberibacter spp., which can be transmitted by grafting and/or the psyllid vectors (ACP) and (AfCP).

A spatio-temporal dataset of plant pests' first introductions across the EU and potential entry pathways.

World trade has greatly increased in recent decades, together with a higher risk of introducing non-indigenous pests. Introduction trends show no sign of saturation, and it seems likely that many more species will enter and establish in new territories in the future. A key challenge in analysing pest invasion patterns is the paucity of historical data on pest introductions.

Modeling the Airborne Inoculum of to Optimize Fungicide Programs Against Almond Red Leaf Blotch.

Red leaf blotch (RLB) of almond, caused by the ascomycete , is a severe foliar disease endemic in the Mediterranean Basin and Middle East. Airborne ascospores of were monitored from 2019 to 2021 in two almond orchards in Lleida, Spain, and a Bayesian beta regression was used to model its seasonal dynamics. The selected model incorporated accumulated degree-days (ADD), ADD considering both vapor pressure deficit and rainfall as fixed effects, and a random effect for the year and location.

Climate suitability of the Mediterranean Basin for citrus black spot disease (Phyllosticta citricarpa) based on a generic infection model.

Citrus black spot (CBS), caused by the fungus Phyllosticta citricarpa, is associated with serious yield and quality losses. The climate suitability of the Mediterranean Basin for CBS development has been long debated. However, CBS has been described in Tunisia.

Modeling the Spatial Distribution of : A Nonstationary Approach with Dispersal Barriers.

Spatial species distribution models often assume isotropy and stationarity, implying that spatial dependence is direction-invariant and uniform throughout the study area. However, these assumptions are violated when dispersal barriers are present. Despite this, the issue of nonstationarity has been little explored in the context of plant health.

Sex, males, and hermaphrodites in the scale insect Icerya purchasi.

Androdioecy (the coexistence of males and hermaphrodites) is a rare mating system for which the evolutionary dynamics are poorly understood. Here, we investigate the cottony cushion scale, Icerya purchasi, one of only three reported cases of androdioecy in insects. In this species, female-like hermaphrodites have been shown to produce sperm and self-fertilize.

Modeling Inoculum Availability of in Persimmon Leaf Litter with Bayesian Beta Regression.

Circular leaf spot (CLS), caused by , is a serious disease affecting persimmon () that is characterized by necrotic lesions on leaves, defoliation, and fruit drop. Under Mediterranean conditions, forms pseudothecia in the leaf litter in winter, and ascospores are released in spring, infecting susceptible leaves. Persimmon growers are advised to apply fungicides for CLS control during the period of inoculum availability, which was previously defined based on ascospore counts under the microscope.

A Decision Support System Based on Degree-Days to Initiate Fungicide Spray Programs for Peach Powdery Mildew in Catalonia, Spain.

The incidence of peach powdery mildew (PPM) on fruit was monitored in commercial peach orchards to i) describe the disease progress in relation to several environmental parameters and ii) establish an operating threshold to initiate a fungicide spray program based on accumulated degree-day (ADD) data. A beta-regression model for disease incidence showed a substantial contribution of the random effects orchard and year, whereas relevant fixed effects corresponded to ADD, wetness duration, and ADD considering vapor pressure deficit and rain. When beta-regression models were fitted for each orchard and year considering only ADD, disease onset was observed at 242 ± 13 ADD and symptoms did not develop further after 484 ± 42 ADD.

Impact of subspecies in European olives.

is the causal agent of plant diseases that cause massive economic damage. In 2013, a strain of the bacterium was, for the first time, detected in the European territory (Italy), causing the Olive Quick Decline Syndrome. We simulate future spread of the disease based on climatic-suitability modeling and radial expansion of the invaded territory.

Basic bio-ecological parameters of the invasive red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in Phoenix canariensis under Mediterranean climate.

The invasive red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), is one of the most destructive pests of palms in the world. Since its detection in the Mediterranean Basin, the ornamental Phoenix canariensis Hort. ex Chabaud has become its main host.

Evaluation of the efficacy of an insecticidal paint based on chlorpyrifos and pyriproxyfen in a microencapsulated formulation against Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

The weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an important pest of palms. It has recently colonized the Mediterranean Basin where it is a serious problem on ornamental Phoenix canariensis (hort. ex Chabaud) palms.