CREA Journals (Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria)
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NEW SINGLE-COPY NUCLEAR GENES FOR USE IN SCALE INSECT SYSTEMATICS
Get PDFDespite the advent of next-generation sequencing, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Sanger sequencing remain useful tools for molecular identification and systematics. To date, molecular systematics of scale insects has been constrained by the paucity of loci that researchers have been able to amplify with available PCR primers. Due to the rapid molecular evolution of scale insects, “universal” primers, and even primers developed for their sister taxon the Aphidoidea, typically fail. We used transcriptome data for two diaspidids, Acutaspis umbonifera (Newstead) and Chrysomphalus aonidum (Linnaeus), together with a published aphid genome, to design novel PCR primer sets for scale insects. Our primers amplify fragments of eight single-copy genes: ATP-dependent RNA helicase (DHX8), translation initiation factor5 (IF5X1), DNA replication licensing factor (Mcm2), double-strand break repair protein (MRE11A), serine/threonine- protein phosphatase (PPP1CB), DNA-directed RNA polymerase II (RNApII), ribonucleoside-diphosphate reductase (RRM1), signal recognition particle receptor (SRPα), neuronal PAS domain-containing protein 4 (NPAS4), and cleft lip and palate transmembrane protein 1 (TP1). Here we report the results of tests of amplification success and phylogenetic utility of these primer sets across the Diaspididae and nine other families of Coccomorpha
DESCRIPTION OF TYLENCHORHYNCHUS IRANENSIS SP. N. (NEMATODA TELOTYLENCHIDAE) FROM IRAN
Get PDFA new species of stunt nematodes, Tylenchorhynchus iranensis sp. n. is described from the rhizosphere of faba bean (Vicia faba L.), from material collected in the Khuzestan province, southwestern Iran. The new species is characterized by the following combination of features: lateral fields with four non areolated incisures, cephalic region continuous to slightly offset and conformed by 6-7 fine annuli, stylet 15-18 µm long, post-anal intestinal sac extends into the entire tail cavity, epiptygma present, tail sub-cylindrical with a hemispherical to sub-hemispherical smooth terminus, 46-65 μm long and composed by 46-49 annuli. Molecular analysis based on 28S rRNA gene sequences placed T. iranensis sp. n. within a clade that contained representatives of the genus Tylenchorhynchus with high support
ROOT KNOT DISEASE CAUSED BY MELOIDOGYNE INCOGNITA (KOFOID &WHITE, 1919) CHITWOOD, 1949 (NEMATODA, MELOIDOGYNIDAE) ON TOMATO GROWN IN SOIL-LESS CROPS IN ITALY
Get PDFInfestation of Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid &White, 1919) Chitwood, 1949 on tomato grown in a soil-less system is reported from the Nola area, southern Italy. Morphological observations and measurements of females and second stage juveniles of the nematode conformed to those reported in the description of M. incognita. Advantages and disadvantages of soil-less crops on the spread of the nematode are also discussed
RESPONSE OF BEETLE COMMUNITIES FIVE YEARS AFTER WILDFIRE IN MEDITERRANEAN FOREST ECOSYSTEMS
Get PDFWildfires are one of the most important drivers of forest composition and biodiversity in the Mediterranean Basin. Many studies have demonstrated that fires can affect insect diversity by altering the functional traits of species groups. We examined the 5-year response of beetles to wildfires by assessing patterns of community composition across a gradient from forest interior to forest edge to burnt forest area in Southern Italy. Our objective was to characterize the relationship between distance from the forest edge and occurrence of beetle taxonomic assemblages. We analyzed the composition, similarity, and dominance of ground beetle communities in randomly selected plots located along the forest-to-burned-area gradient. We found a negative relationship between community similarity and distance from the forest edge; moreover, the composition of species assemblages (within each family) became increasingly similar with proximity to the forest edge. As the distance from the forest edge into the burned area became greater the dominance of few species increased, and species composition shifted toward habitat generalists. The results partially support the notion that the differences in beetle communities probably are driven by habitat changes caused by fires, especially for those taxa with many specialist species in feeding and oviposition habitats. Understanding the biological effects of wildfires is necessary prior to design management strategies and policies for counteracting the loss of biodiversity at the global, regional and national levels
Single-entry volume table for Pinus brutia in a planted peri-urban forest
Get PDFBrutia pine is a Mediterranean tree species of high ecological value, widely planted for soil protection, windbreaks and timber, both in its native area and elsewhere in the Mediterranean region. However, there is not yet enough information relating its growth dynamics and yield. The aim of this study was to evaluate the volume of Pinus brutia in a planted peri-urban forest (reforested area) in Greece. A single-entry, individual tree volume model has been developed using data from 18 permanent experimental plots, in the context of a research project regarding recovery of degraded coniferous forests
MORPHOLOGICAL, MORPHOMETRIC AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF MERLINIUS MICRODORUS (GERAERT, 1966) SIDDIQI, 1970, SCUTYLENCHUS RUGOSUS (SIDDIQI, 1963) SIDDIQI, 1979 (MERLINIIDAE), AND PSILENCHUS CURCUMERUS RAHAMAN, AHMAD AND JAIRAJPURI, 1994 (PSILENCHIDAE) AND APPROACHES TO PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS
Get PDFMerlinius microdorus and Scutylenchus rugosus (Merliniidae), and Psilenchus curcumerus (Psilenchidae) were collected from the rhizosphere of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) fields in Khuzestan province, south-western Iran. Morphological and morphometric data are provided for these species. Additionally, sequences of the D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA gene for all species were also used for molecular phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic relationships of Psilenchidae and Merliniidae in relation to representatives of the superfamily Tylenchoidea, obtained from Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum likelihood (ML) analyses of the D2-D3 sequences, are presented and discussed. The results of phylogenetic analysis strongly supported (BPP = 100) Merliniidae and Psilenchidae as monophyletic. The family Tylenchidae formed a sister clade to Merliniidae/Psilenchidae with high branch support (BPP = 100). Monophyly of representatives of Merliniidae (including Pratylenchoides) was supported with maximum BPP
Geospatial analysis of woodland fire occurrence and recurrence in Italy
Get PDFThis research note aims to exemplify the potential of annual time series of wildfire geodatasets to quantify fire occurrence and recurrence amongst different woodland types at large scale, under an international forestry perspective. The study covers a time series of areas affected by wildfire between 2007 and 2014 in Italy. A GIS operation of geometric intersection was carried out between burned areas geodataset time series and Corine Land Cover. Mediterranean pine forest, high maquis, transitional woodland-shrub and high oro-Mediterranean pine forest are the woodland types most preferred in terms of fire occurrence and recurrence. Large fires and megafires hold a significant share of total burned area. An unexpected finding is the huge impact of fires in wildland-urban-interface areas. The proposed analysis provides spatial information that is central to any approach to fire management at large scale. Research findings provide support that can be used e.g. for advancements in research, prioritization of fire prevention, suppression measures, economic incentive allocation, and urban and peri-urban planning
Figuring the features of the Roman Campagna: recent landscape structural transformations of Rome’s countryside
Get PDFThis paper quantified the impact of urban expansion on landscape characteristics of a famous landscape icon, the Roman Campagna, during the last thirty years. Landscape composition and structure were assessed between 1974, when the distinguishing features of Roman Campagna are still widespread and 2008, after the trajectory of urban decentralisation and urban sprawl. Changes in landscape structure were explored by spatial pattern analysis to detect how structural changes in landscape components can modify both land structure and landscape image. Non-parametric correlation statistics and multi factor analysis showed that the distinctive features of the Roman Campagna landscape are now blurred. A generalized landscape mixitè was generated by the juxtaposition of different fragmented land uses, as showed by a negative relationship between changes in surface area and patchiness found in almost all other land use classes. Adaptation measures for preserving peri-urban agriculture in a landscape changed in structure and image are finally discussed
Proposal of a simplified method for pastoral value assessment inside forest planning
Get PDFCarrying capacity is one of the most important variables that should be assessed for a proper evaluation of forage potentiality of pastures. Nevertheless, inside forest management plans, reduced costs make impossible the involvement of additional technical staff specialized in this domain and for this reason different methodologies to simplify data collection were proposed for pasture planning. In this paper a simplified method to evaluate the pastoral value (one of the most common procedure for carrying capacity estimation) is proposed and assessed in real conditions in order to obtain a proper potential stocking rate of a whole pasture area. The method is based on a previous research that proposed a simplified method of data collection that is performed by means of different functional groups of species or botanical families: palatable grasses, not palatable grasses, legumes, species belonging to other botanical families, spiny and poisonous species, trees and shrubs. Each category is linked to its feeding behavior by an index that summarizes forage potentiality and this permits to classify the resources in different quality classes, each of them characterized by a given potential stocking rate. The proposed methodology seems easy to be performed also by staff without a specific formation in pasture management and comparison performed with the traditional procedure produced accurate results. Even if the proposed scheme should not to be considered alternative to the original methodology, it can be useful to acquire information for pastoral resource management, especially at territorial level
