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Classical biological control of the brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) in apple orchard: a success story
Get PDFBackground: The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys, is an invasive pest from eastern Asia that has caused significant damage to apple orchards in Europe and the United States. To reduce pesticide reliance, a classical biological control (CBC) program, using the Asian egg parasitoid Trissolcus japonicus, was initiated in Trentino, a key apple-producing area in Italy. The CBC program involved the release of T. japonicus at selected sites with minimal chemical input from 2020 to 2023. Monitoring was conducted to assess parasitoid establishment and egg parasitization rates. Preliminary data on fruit damage were also collected to assess trends at a large territorial scale. Parasitoid efficacy was evaluated based on discovery efficiency and parasitization impact. Results: Trissolcus japonicus was recaptured in 62.3% of the sites, with increasing recapture rates over the years (from 30% in the first year to 65.4% in the fourth year). The overall egg parasitization rate increased from 18.3% to 50.6%, with T. japonicus contributing significantly (from 7.9% in 2020 to 41.3% in 2023). The percentage of hatched eggs decreased from 61.6% to 29.0%. Discovery efficiency improved from 9.9% to 54.4%, and impact from 7.9% to 39.0%. Fruit damage monitoring indicated an overall decreasing trend in orchards within a 2.5 km radius of successful release sites. Conclusion: The release of T. japonicus in Trentino demonstrated effective control of BMSB, reducing pesticide use and fruit damage, thereby highlighting the potential of CBC as a sustainable pest management strategy against invasive alien pests. Further long-term studies are recommended to optimize and expand this approach. © 2025 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry
Meno alcol, e non solo, coi non-Sacch.
No full textPer ridurre il tenore alcolico dei vini, l’industria enologica si è orientata verso interventi a valle della raccolta delle uve, da attuare in vinificazione. Tra le soluzioni attualmente allo studio, l’utilizzo di lieviti non-Saccharomyces sembra promettente
Bio-based mulching films and soil conditioners for non-irrigated tomato cultivation: toward plastic-free and water-efficient crop production
Get PDFThis study examined the impact of different bio-based and biodegradable mulching films (TSCs) and soil conditioners (SCs) on plant productivity and fruit quality in a tomato cultivation trial under non-irrigated conditions. In particular, different TSCs were developed based on xanthan gum (XG) or gelatine (GEL) mixed with wood fibres (WFs), while SCs were produced using XG and cellulose fibres. A total of 72 plants of Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme were planted. The yield and number of fruits were measured at harvest, followed by physico-chemical analyses, while plant root systems were examined at the end of the experimental period. The results highlighted that the GEL-based TSCs improved the total fruit yield compared to the control (+50% on average). Furthermore, improved fruit yield was also observed for the XG-based SCs when applied in the soil with a higher organic content. Overall, no significant differences in fruit quality (i.e., Brix degree, carotenoids, lutein and potassium content) and plant root system parameters were found for all the treatments applied. At the end of the test, it was noticed that GEL-based films substantially retained their consistency due to their greater density and thickness, while XG-based films were more disintegrated, indicating higher biodegradatio
Efficacy of attract-and-kill techniques in controlling Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae) in a highly variable olive production scenario
Get PDFThe management of the olive fly using sustainable methods includes strategies based on attract-and-kill techniques. Although some studies have shown that lure-and-kill and mass-trapping methods can be effective in certain contexts, their performance under conditions of highly variable olive production remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of two sustainable control techniques in olive groves located at the northernmost boundary of olive cultivation in Europe. The efficacy of a lure-and-kill product (SpintorTM Fly) and a mass-trapping product (Flypack® Dacus Trap) was assessed over a three-year period by monitoring olive fly population density and infestation levels. We found that the efficacy of attract-and-kill techniques varied over the years. In years of abundant production, the high availability of fruits may reduce the detectability of damage. In contrast, in low production years, the limited number of fruits can lead to higher infestation rates, potentially reducing the effectiveness of the control techniques. Both techniques tested, particularly lure-and-kill, can help maintain low Bactrocera oleae population densities. However, they are insufficient to maintain fruit infestation at acceptable levels during years of low olive production, when the adoption of control measures is not economically justified
Quantifying the effect of temperature on European Culex pipiens longevity and reproduction in Italy
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Genetics and ecology of an island endemic from Pantelleria: Acheta pantescus (Orthoptera Gryllidae)
Get PDFThe biology of the recently described stenoecious cricket Acheta pantescus is mostly unknown. This study includes an integrative systematics approach using ecology and barcode sequencing of the mtDNA NADH dehydrogenase subunits (ND1), the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene and the 16S ribosomal RNA region. A comparison with other species, including a discussion on the hypotheses about its origin, requires further work noting the lack of information currently available on GenBank. Two data loggers were placed at the Martingana locality, within the site where A. pantescus is known to occur and just outside it, to record temperatures and relative humidity; results show statistical differences between the area inhabited by the species and that immediately outside its habitat. Adults can be encountered between the end of April through to October; moreover, a broad range of life-cycle stages, from 1st instar to penultimate nymphal (sub-adult) phase were recorded in the month of May. Adults observed in May would have presumably been the result of eggs laid during the autumn and hatched around the latter part of February. Observations made during the night from a seacraft made it possible to identify locations on the island where the species is present, through its characteristic stridulatory ‘song
Alps, Apennines and major islands: a complex network of evolutionary units in the Italian Brown Trout
No full textThe evolutionary history of brown trout in the Mediterranean basin has been shaped by the glacial and interglacial phases of the Quaternary, which caused repeated extinction events followed by recolonization. In this context, Mediterranean islands, such as Sardinia, have assumed a crucial role as biodiversity hotspots, due to the prolonged isolation of their populations. A recent phylogenetic study of the genus Salmo based on whole-genome analysis suggested that Sardinian trout could represent a distinct species. To further investigate the genetic structure of these populations, the genomic approach of Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) was used on 130 individuals belonging to nine native populations of the Mediterranean area (five from the Italian peninsula and four from Sardinia). The samples were selected to exclude individuals introgressed with the domestic Atlantic trout, in order to avoid homogenization effects and faithfully represent the genetic diversity attributable to the Italian taxon S. ghigii. Genetic analyses showed a clear hierarchical structure: the Sardinian and peninsular populations were divided into two distinct monophyletic groups, confirming previous studies. The application of different species delimitation methods revealed an even greater genetic complexity, identifying between 7 and 9 Significant Evolutionary Units (ESU), depending on the thresholds used. In Sardinia, three distinct ESUs were detected: one in the eastern sector and two in the south-western sector of the island, in line with data obtained from the mitochondrial DNA control region. In the Italian peninsula, instead, four ESUs were identified: one Alpine, one Adriatic Apennine and two Tyrrhenian Apennine. The genetic distances between the peninsular ESUs were greater than those estimated between two recognized species, S. trutta from northern Europe and S. cettii, both associated with the Atlantic mitochondrial lineage (AT). Finally, it is important to underline that all the populations – with the exception of the two belonging to the Alpine ESU – are significantly differentiated from each other, justifying their classification as Minimum Management Units (MU) for the management and conservation practices of this species, already seriously impacted by incorrect human manipulation
Metodi e materiali per lo studio dei ghiacciai
No full textI ghiacciai rappresentano un componente essenziale per l’ecosistema, fungendo da riserva d’acqua dolce e sostenendo la biodiversità. Il loro rapido arretramento, in tempi recenti, ha importanti conseguenze per l’equilibrio ambientale. Il volume esplora il mondo del ghiaccio e dei ghiacciai in Trentino considerandoli come ampi ecosistemi di alta quota e analizzando la loro evoluzione nel tempo. L’opera racconta la storia di questi ambienti unici analizzando la loro morfologia, incluse le forme più nascoste, celate nel sottosuolo, e quella delle zone circostanti. Il testo, arricchito da mappe storiche, rilievi cartografici recenti ed eloquenti confronti fotografici fra passato e presente, si intreccia con il racconto delle prime esplorazioni alpinistiche e con storie di uomini e donne che sui ghiacciai hanno vissuto e combattuto. Particolare attenzione viene posta alle dinamiche di questi ecosistemi, alla loro fragilità e alle implicazioni ecologiche legate agli effetti dei cambiamenti climatici. Un viaggio che, attraverso le mutazioni della natura, invita a riflettere sulla relazione tra il nostro futuro e il destino delle montagn