1,720,993 research outputs found
Valutazione della sopravvivenza di Steinernema carpocapsae e della sua infettività su Galleria mellonella dopo la crioconservazione
No full textReport of the first finding of Bursaphelenchus poligraphi and B. paraleoni in Italy
No full textBark beetles play an important ecological role in forest ecosystems, but under certain conditions, they can become a serious phytosanitary threat to host plants. This risk increases in the presence of environmental stress factors linked to climate change, such as heavy snowfall, strong winds, and prolonged drought periods.
This study focused on weakened or declining stands of Norway spruce (Picea abies) in the Apennines, specifically in the areas of Abetone (Tuscany) and Montedimezzo (Molise), affected by infestations of the beetle Polygraphus poligraphus L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae).
During monitoring activities carried out in 2024, samples of wood, bark, and adult beetles were collected from infested trees.
To investigate the possible presence of associated nematodes, the wood and bark samples were processed using the Oostenbrink dish method, while the adult insects were examined through direct observation under a stereomicroscope.
The analyses led to the identification of two nematode species never before reported in Italy: Bursaphelenchus poligraphi, isolated from both wood and adult beetles — previously known only in France, Germany, Romania, and Slovakia — and Bursaphelenchus paraleoni, found in wood samples from Molise, until now, only been reported in China, where it was intercepted in wood imported from the United States
Entomopathogenic nematodes for biological control of Popillia Japonica larvae: current status and future prospects
Full text linkThe Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica Newman), first detected in Northern Italy in 2014, is
considered one of the most dangerous quarantine pests for the entire European territory due to its
potential environmental, economic, and social impact. As its larvae spend most of their life cycle in
the soil, entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) offer a promising biological control option.
Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (strain POP 16) was detected in the soil of outbreak area and selected
as the most virulent native strain based on preliminary laboratory virulence assays. Field trials were
conducted in the Piedmont region from 2021 to 2024 to assess POP 16's effectiveness in controlling
the P. japonica larval population and its persistence in the soil.
P. japonica larval populations were significantly reduced in plots treated with EPNs, with over 90%
fewer larvae observed compared to untreated areas and H. bacteriophora persisted in the soil for
up to two years after treatment. The effects of EPNs on non-target soil biota were also evaluated
and no significant negative impacts were observed in EPN-treated soil compared to the control.
However, some non-target edaphic arthropod taxa showed increased abundances, suggesting
potential long-term changes in the soil ecosystem.
Regarding the future prospects: identify the most promising symbiotic bacterial strains associated
with EPNs for controlling P. japonica and study their genomes could reveal the loci responsible for
entomopathogenesis. These further in-depth investigations are essential for developing novel,
environmentally friendly control measures for the control of P. japonica, such as bioinsecticides
based on bacterial strains isolated from EPNs
Testing chitosan-based Fosetyl-Al nanocrystals in Meloidogyne javanica control
No full textPlant-parasitic nematodes, which are ubiquitous and have high reproductive rates, are
undoubtedly a serious threat to food security and plant health, causing an annual loss of
approximately USD 100 billion worldwide. Root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne spp. are
responsible for extensive yield loss of horticultural and field crops. The difficult management of
plant parasitic nematodes often relies on chemicals. However, due to their negative impact on
human health and the environment, many major nematicides have been withdrawn or banned in
recent decades. The need for control measures with less environmental impact has led to the
renewed search for alternative strategies, such as nanotechnology.
The aim of this study is to investigate the potential efficacy of a new formulation of Fosetyl-Al,
a well-known systemic fungicide also used as bactericide, in the control of Meloidogyne javanica.
In-vitro experiments were performed using chitosan-based Fosetyl-Al nanocrystals (CHnanoFos), prepared by a sonication-assisted method, applying chitosan as a coating agent.
In order to determine the optimal concentrations of CH-nanoFos to be tested against M. javanica,
a series of preliminary experiments were carried out. The potential nematicidal, nematostatic and
hatching inhibition activities of three different concentrations of CH-nanoFos (1 mg/ml, 2 mg/ml
and 4 mg/ml) at different exposure times were then compared.
Nematostatic and nematicidal activities were evaluated on second-stage juveniles after 24 and 48
hours of exposure to CH-nanoFos. There was a statistically significant interaction between the
effects of the tested nanoproduct concentration and exposure time for both parameters evaluated.
In general, the nematicidal effect increased as the tested concentration and exposure time
increased. In contrast, the nematostatic effect decreased with increasing tested concentration and
exposure time.
To investigate the potential hatching inhibitory activity, M. javanica eggs were incubated with
CH-nanoFos and the number of juveniles was estimated after 3, 7 and 14 days. There was a
statistically significant interaction between the effects of the tested nanoproduct concentration
and incubation time, in fact, the inhibitory activity of CH-nanoFos on M. javanica egg hatching
increased with increasing concentration and incubation time.
Regarding future perspectives, the efficacy of CH-nanoFos in controlling this root-knot nematode
will also be evaluated in vivo through pot experiments. Its potential phytotoxicity is currently
under investigation on tomato plant
Effetto della concentrazione di glicerolo sulla sopravvivenza di Steinernema feltiae e heterorhabditis bacteriophora dopo la crioconservazione
No full text
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Morphological and molecular characterization of a Steinernema carpocapsae (Nematoda Steinernematidae) strain isolated in Veneto Region (Italy)
Full text linkVariations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Use of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora for the biological control of Popillia japonica larvae and evaluation of its impact on non-target soil biota
No full textPopillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is a scarab beetle native to Japan and accidentally introduced to Italy from North America in 2014. The high reproductive rate, the pathway of introduction, and the dispersal capability, as well as the polyphagous diet, led the EU to include this pest in the priority list. Popillia japonica spends most of its life cycle as a grub in the soil. At this stage, the grubs damage turf grasses, hay meadows, soccer pitches, and golf courses and are susceptible to biological control agents present in the soil, such as entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs). As part of the Horizon 2020 Project ‘IPM-POPILLIA’, a large number of natural EPN strains have been collected from the soil in the outbreak area in Northern Italy along the Ticino River. The most virulent indigenous strain of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (POP 16) was used in field trials to assess its effectiveness in containing the P. japonica larval population and its persistence in soil. Since September 2021, these trials have been carried out in the Piedmont region in three meadows with different irrigation management (non-irrigated, semi-irrigated, and irrigated fields). Two months after the treatments, a significant reduction of P. japonica larvae was observed in plots treated with EPNs (>90%) compared to untreated ones. Regarding persistence, H. bacteriophora was isolated again after the winter season and at lower concentrations one and two years after treatments, depending on irrigation management. Furthermore, in the irrigated meadow, the effects of EPNs on non-target soil biota were also evaluated, comparing soil arthropod assemblages with a Before-After Control-Impact experimental design. Compared to the control, no evident negative effect on non-target edaphic arthropods was disclosed on soil treated with EPNs. However, some taxa showed an increase in abundance, suggesting that some changes may occur in the long term. These results evidenced that the use of the selected EPN indigenous strain may be an excellent candidate for the integrated management of P. japonica, with no impact on non-target species, and at the same time highlighting the importance of evaluating the effects on soil biota to preserve the key- functioning of the ecosystem
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