CREA Journals (Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria)
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A survey of Erebidae, Nolidae and Euteliidae (Lepidoptera) in Southern and Northeastern of Iran.
Get PDFNoctuoidea are the largest superfamily of Lepidoptera which have not yet fully investigated in Iran. In order to inventories such important group, faunistic studies on the families Erebidae, Nolidae and Euteliidae were made by light traps mainly in the three Iranian provinces of Fars, Khuzestan and Khorasan-e-Razavi during 2009-2011. Totally, 42 taxa belonging to 26 genera and 7 subfamilies were collected. Among these, one species – Drasteria kusnezovi (John, 1910) – is newly reported for the Iranian fauna, together with 23 new provincial records. For all species, illustrations of adults and their genitalia are given with remarks
Integrated potassium management through composted straws and inorganic fertilizer in maize
Get PDFUsing organic and inorganic fertilizers concurrently may not only quench the crop nutritive demands but also been proved an eco-friendly nutrient source. In order to evaluate the effect of potassium (K) application from only inor- ganic, integrated organic and inorganic sources of fertilizers on maize, a field study was conducted during 2008 and 2009 following randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications at Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad , Pakistan. In this study composted wheat and rice straws were inte- grated with the sulphate of potash (SOP) as K source. Regarding application of K from the integrated sources, treatment containing 25% composted rice straw + 75% SOP provided highest leaf area index (LAI; 5.13 and 5.11), eaf area duration (LAD; 217.33 and 219.65 days), crop growth rate (CGR; 28.94 and 29.08 g m-2 d-1), total dry matter (TDM; 1,925.03 and1,931.32 g m-2), and gave prominent plant height (215.50 and 218.63 cm), 1,000-grain weight (262.87 and 266.63 g), grain yield (7.02 and 7.38 t ha-1), biological yield (16.63 and 17.37 t ha-1) and harvest index (42.22 and 42.49%) during both the years (2008-09), respectively. Moreover, given years, the integrated use of 25% composted rice straw + 75% SOP earned maximum benefit cost ratio of 2.12 and Rs. 2.22, respectively. Conclusively, integrated use of organic amendments of K with inorganic source might be a better technique over separate application of inorganic source
A new species of Lassenia (Prostigmata Tanaupodoidea Tanaupodidae) from Montenegro and notes on two other Lassenia
Get PDFA new species of Lassenia from Montenegro, Lassenia novoseljensis n. sp. is described and illustrated. It is the sixth species of the world and third species of Europe. Corrected data and new measurements for L. xymenae and L. castronuoviensis are given
Natural enemies emerged from Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Denis & Sciffermüller) (Lepidoptera Notodontidae) pupae in Southern Italy.
Get PDFObservation made over a 4-year period in pinewoods of Apulia Region (South Italy) on Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Denis Sciffermüller) (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) prepupae and pupae, indicated the following natural enemies complex: Hexamermis sp. (Nematoda: Mermithidae), Phryxe caudata (Diptera: Tachinidae), Villa brunnea and Hemipenthes velutina (Diptera: Bombyliidae), Conomorium pityocampae (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), Coelichneumon rudis and Cryptus sp. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Beauveria bassiana and Isaria farinosa (formerly Paecylomices farinosus) (Ascomycota: Hypocreales). The moths and the parasitoid species emerged sequentially and, although these natural enemies show irregular distribution, they together controlled up to 60% of T. pityocampa pupae. Ecological implications of such parasitism are being discussed
First record in Cyprus of Cinara (Cinara) cedri Mimeur (Aphididae Lachninae) on Cedrus brevifolia (Hooker fil.) Henry.
Get PDFThe Authors report on the discovery in South Cyprus of the aphid Cinara (Cinara) cedri Mimeur collected on the endemic cedar, Cedrus brevifolia (Hooker fil.) Henry. This is the first record of the lacnid in Cyprus. The ecological aspects of the cedar and its interaction with the related aphid species are discussed. The Authors suggest the hypothesis that the aphid may be co-endemic with its host conifer since it shows significant morphological differences compared with specimens from other European regions. The question whether the Cyprus cedar aphid can be injurious or not to its host plant is debated as well. The exact taxonomic position of this lacnid is currently under investigation
Molecular analysis of genetic diversity in a Texas maize (Zea mays L) breeding program
Get PDFThe Texas maize (Zea mays L) breeding program at Texas A&M University has been unique among breeding pro- grams for the incorporation of diverse germplasm from a wide range of origins into elite inbred lines. The Texas program, situated in a subtropical environment, has found beneficial traits in maize of tropical origin beyond what is available in the temperate material commonly used in the far more productive Midwestern region of the United States. To date, no molecular studies had been conducted to make any quantitative differentiations between the genetic diversity in the germplasm developed in the Texas program or comparisons to the germplasm available from the Midwest. In this study, a molecular characterization of genetic diversity was performed. A unique set of
266 elite Texas lines were genotyped using 766 single nucleotide polymorphism markers, this was then combined with data published in a previous study focusing on ex-PVP lines released by private companies. The two data sets combined had 380 genotypes with 635 markers. It was determined that there were five subpopulations of material in this combined set as demonstrated by population structure. The data suggested that the array mark- ers, designed to cluster the Midwestern heterotic groups, did not discriminate this exotic material well and/or that the Texas heterotic pools were not well supported. We conclude that the majority of Texas program material is a novel population, genetically dissimilar to Midwest temperate material, and would be a useful source of unique genetics for other maize breeding programs
Phenotypic diversity of farmer’s traditional maize (Zea mays L) varieties in Cote d’Ivoire
Get PDFPrimitive cultivars and their wild relatives are an invaluable heritage for humanity. They must be preserved, stud- ied and used to increase agricultural production. This study aims at assessing the phenotypic diversity of 118 maize (Zea mays L) accessions collected Côte d’Ivoire. The test was conducted in Ferkessédougou (north of Côte d’Ivoire) during the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 rainy seasons. It was implanted in a square lattice design 11 x 11, repeated three times. Twenty-two quantitative variables were measured. From the results, it appeared that there was significant morphological variability among accessions. The multivariate analyses (Principal Components Analysis and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis) enabled to structure this diversity into five groups. Days to 50 % silk- ing and to 50 % tasselling, ear insertion height, plant height, number of leaves below the uppermost ear, and ear parameters are those that best explain the agro-morphological diversity. The different groups obtained can serve as a starting point for the definition of a core collection. They offer a wide possibility of choice of breeding lines for the creation of improved maize varieties adapted to the different agro-climatic zones of Côte d’Ivoir
Long-term development of experimental mixtures of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) in northern Britain
Get PDFThe Caledonian pinewoods of northern Scotland are a priority conservation habitat in Europe which are dominated by Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), but varying proportions of a number of broadleaved species such as silver birch (Betula pendula) can occur in these forests. Better understanding of the dynamics of mixed Scots pine-birch stands would be helpful in informing current initiatives to restore and increase the area of the pinewood ecosystem. Some evidence is provided by two experiments established in the 1960s which compared plots of pure Scots pine and pure birch with two treatments where the two species were mixed in 3:1 and 1:1 ratios. Some fifty years later, Scots pine was the more vigorous of the two species in these experiments, being both taller and significantly larger in diameter. The highest basal area was generally found in the pure Scots pine plots and the values in the mixed plots tended to be intermediate between those of the two component species. Examination of the growth in the mixed plots showed a slight, but non-significant, tendency towards overyielding. This appeared to be due to Scots pine growth being better than predicted, while that of birch was slightly less than predicted. These results suggest that in these mixtures, which are composed of two light demanding species, the main mechanism driving long-term performance is competition for light and there is little evidence of any complementary effect. These results suggest that any strategy seeking to increase the long-term representation of broadleaves such as birch in the Caledonian pinewoods will need to create discrete blocks that are large enough to withstand the competitive pressures exerted by the pine
Tree-oriented silviculture for growing valuable broadleaved tree species in Turkey oak coppices
Get PDFValuable broadleaved tree species can play an important role in mixed-forest management; in these forests, silviculture may play an important role in getting high value timber. This paper illustrates a tree-oriented silviculture approach with an application in a Turkey oak coppice stand in Central Italy. This silvicultural approach has been developed in the last decades in France, Germany, Switzerland. The rationale behind the tree-oriented approach is to select a number of target sporadic tree species with valuable timber and to support their growth through repeated thinning from above. We tested the effectiveness of this silviculture approach as an alternative to customary coppice management in Italy, which is traditionally focused on the dominant tree species and does not consider valuable broadleaved tree species. The two silviculture approaches (tree-oriented and customary coppicing) were compared through a financial evaluation of the economic convenience of the two alternatives in a Turkey oak coppice stand in Central Ital
Wrong taxonomy leads to a wrong conclusion on a putatively ‘invasive’ species to Europe: the case of Pseudacrobasis nankingella (Lepidoptera Pyralidae).
Get PDFIn this paper the current distribution, biology and ecology of Pseudacrobasis tergestella (Ragonot) was revised in the light of the new synonymy with Pseudacrobasis nankingella Roesler. The synonymy, established in 2014, falsified the hypothesis of a recent biological invasion of P. nankingella in European countries. Furthermore, new records for the Italian Peninsula are provided after 113 years from its description for the type locality near Trieste. Males and females were dissected and their genitalia compared to illustrations in literature for warranting a correct identification. This species is polyvoltine and feeds on seeds of Quercus but adults are reported to emerge also from cones of Pinus. It was usually found in mild and humid forested habitats, in coastal areas and along rivers. The currently known range of P. tergestella includes the westernmost and the easternmost regions of the Palearctic, with a very large disjunction. We plan to submit specimens from as many as possible populations of this species to DNA barcoding analysis in order to investigate the diversification of genetic lineages