First Record of Cacopsylla pulchella (Hemiptera, Psyllidae) in Albania

The aim of this study is to identify plant lice Cacopsylla pulchella as a new alien insect in the fauna of Albania. In order to assess the potential of this insect as a pest causing damages on trees, infestation level assessment was used. In the first decade of June 2020 samples were collected at three locations in Albania, where Cercis siliquastrum is grown. Samples were collected and brought to the laboratory for further analysis. Field research was performed to assess distribution and infestation intensity across various localities. The intensity of infestation was assessed by visual examination and was categorized according to previously determined categories. C. pulchella was confirmed on C. siliquastrum in three localities in Albania. Most of the infested trees had a moderate or high intensity of infestation. Compared to the results of other countries, it seems that the Judas trees are under heavy attack in Albania. Librazhd and Elbansn districts had the highest recorded infestation level. Infested trees found in this study should be inspected in the following years and this alien insect should be further monitored in order to estimate its potential of becoming an invasive pest in this country

Wood nematode species spectrum in the Mediterranean pine forests of Croatia

Background and purpose: This work presents the first research on wood nematodes in Croatia and it was done in order to address the question of the impact of dendropathogenic nematodes in pine stands in the coastal region of Croatia. To reveal this impact, the first step is the isolation and proper identification of the species spectrum of the existing wood nematodes. The aim of this study was to identify wood nematode species isolated from different pine tree species (Pinus halepensis, P. nigra, P. maritima) throughout the coastal region of Croatia and to identify their status as either pathogens or saprofits, which should build the basis for further research and understanding of the negative influence of this organisms on the decline of Mediterranian pine stands. Materials and methods: The research was carried out in 2013 and 2014 and it was done along the entire coastal region of Croatia. The experiments were carried out at two levels: by sampling wood nematodes and by monitoring pine longhorn beetles. Wood samples of dry or partly dry trees of P. nigra, P. halepensis and P. pinaster were collected throughout the year in the form of rings, branches, sawdust or wood chips without bark on different heights on the trees. Two techniques were used for the extraction of nematodes: Baermann funnel technique and Cobb`s method. In samples with an increased number of nematodes, some nematodes were separated and preserved in DESS solution for further morphological and molecular analysis. In the spring of 2014, the monitoring of pine longhorn beetle Monochamus galloprovincialis was done at 6 locations along the coastal region of Croatia were traps with pheromones were installed. The traps were placed in the treetops at a height of about 7 m in P. halepensis stands. The collected pine longhorn beetles were inspected for nematodes in the laboratory. Results: Saprophytic nematodes from the families Rhabditidae, Diplogasteridae and Cephalobidae dominated in the samples. In 9 wood samples pathogenic nematodes which belong to the genus Bursaphelenchus: B. mucronatus, B. sexdentati and B. minutes were detected . The pine wood nematode B. xylophilus was not found in the collected samples. A total of 109 pine longhorn beetles have been caught in traps with pheromones and their analysis showed that neither B. xylophilus nor native wood nematodes were present on them.. Conclusions: This is the first record of wood nematodes in the coastal region of Croatia. The results of this research confirm the presence of nematodes and their possible influence on the process of pine decline of the Mediterranean pine species in Croatia. The presence of M. galloprovincialis, the vector of highly damaging B. Xylophilus, has been confirmed during this research

Forewarned is forearmed : harmonized approaches for early detection of potentially invasive pests and pathogens in sentinel plantings

The number of invasive alien pest and pathogen species affecting ecosystem functioning, human health and economies has increased dramatically over the last decades. Discoveries of invasive pests and pathogens previously unknown to science or with unknown host associations yet damaging on novel hosts highlights the necessity of developing novel tools to predict their appearance in hitherto naïve environments. The use of sentinel plant systems is a promising tool to improve the detection of pests and pathogens before introduction and to provide valuable information for the development of preventative measures to minimize economic or environmental impacts. Though sentinel plantings have been established and studied during the last decade, there still remains a great need for guidance on which tools and protocols to put into practice in order to make assessments accurate and reliable. The sampling and diagnostic protocols chosen should enable as much information as possible about potential damaging agents and species identification. Consistency and comparison of results are based on the adoption of common procedures for sampling design and sample processing. In this paper, we suggest harmonized procedures that should be used in sentinel planting surveys for effective sampling and identification of potential pests and pathogens. We also review the benefits and limitations of various diagnostic methods for early detection in sentinel systems, and the feasibility of the results obtained supporting National Plant Protection Organizations in pest and commodity risk analysis

Data from: Host tracking or cryptic adaptation? Phylogeography of Pediobius saulius (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), a parasitoid of the highly invasive horse-chestnut leafminer

Classical biological control is often advocated as a tool for managing invasive species. However, accurate evaluations of parasitoid species complexes and assessment of host-specificity are impeded by the lack of morphological variation. Here we study the possibility of host races/species within the eulophid wasp Pediobius saulius, a pupal generalist parasitoid that parasitize the highly invasive horse-chestnut leaf-mining moth Cameraria ohridella. We analysed the population genetic structure, host associations and phylogeographic patterns of P. saulius in Europe using the COI mitochondrial gene. This marker strongly supports a division into at least five highly differentiated parasitoid complexes, within two of which, clades with differing degrees of host specialization were found: a Balkan clade that mainly (but not only) attacks C. ohridella, and a more generalist European group which attacks many hosts, including C. ohridella. The divergence in COI (up to 7.6%) suggests the existence of cryptic species, although this is neither confirmed by nuclear divergence nor morphology. We do not find evidence of host tracking. The higher parasitism rates observed in the Balkans and the scarcity of the Balkan-Cameraria haplotypes out of the Balkans, open the possibility of using these Balkan haplotypes as biological control agents of C. ohridella elsewhere in Europe

PediobiusITS2

Aligned ITS sequences in nexus format. Information on individual samples in the Excel readme file. Samples with no BOLD ID were new individuals

Pediobius28S

Aligned 28S-D2 sequences in nexus format. Information on the samples given in the Excel readme file

PedioCO1

Aligned CO1 sequences in nexus format