First report of Neopestalotiopsis clavispora causing crown rot in strawberry in Italy

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THE PRESENT PEST STATUS OF EUCALYPTUS SAP-SUCKERS AND GALL WASPS IN CAMPANIA (ITALY)

Sap-suckers and gall wasps may be a severe phytosanitary problem for several Eucalyptus species, particularly for the red gum E. camaldulensis, the most widely cultivated Australian native tree species worldwide. This paper reviewed the harmfulness of some of these invasive pests established in Campania, and provides new information about their pest status

THE PRESENT PEST STATUS OF EUCALYPTUSSAP-SUCKERS AND GALL WASPS IN CAMPANIA (ITALY)

ap-suckers and gall wasps may be a severe phytosanitary problem for several Eucalyptusspecies, particularlyfor the red gum E. camaldulensis, the most widely cultivated Australian native tree species worldwide. This paperreviewed the harmfulness of some of these invasive pests established in Campania, and provides new information abouttheir pest statu

Genetic diversity of the invasive gall wasp Leptocybe invasa (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and of its Rickettsia endosymbiont, and associated sex-ratio differences

The blue-gum chalcid Leptocybe invasa Fisher & LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a gall wasp pest of Eucalyptus species, likely native to Australia. Over the past 15 years it has invaded 39 countries on all continents where eucalypts are grown. The worldwide invasion of the blue gum chalcid was attributed to a single thelytokous morphospecies formally described in 2004. Subsequently, however, males have been recorded in several countries and the sex ratio of field populations has been found to be highly variable in different areas. In order to find an explanation for such sex ratio differences, populations of L. invasa from a broad geographical area were screened for the symbionts currently known as reproductive manipulators, and both wasps and symbionts were genetically characterized using multiple genes. Molecular analyses suggested that L. invasa is in fact a complex of two cryptic species involved in the rapid and efficient spread of the wasp, the first recovered from the Mediterranean region and South America, the latter from China. All screened specimens were infected by endosymbiotic bacteria belonging to the genus Rickettsia. Two closely related Rickettsia strains were found, each infecting one of the two putative cryptic species of L. invasa and associated with different average sex ratios. Rickettsia were found to be localised in the female reproductive tissues and transovarially transmitted, suggesting a possible role of Rickettsia as the causal agent of thelytokous parthenogenesis in L. invasa. Implications for the variation of sex ratio and for the management of L. invasa are discussed. Nugne

A proteomic approach for the characterization of typical meat products: definition of molecular markers of industrial and artisanal Naples-type salami

Naples-type salami is dry fermented sausages with medium-size grana made of coarsely minced lean pig, mixed with fat, salt, pepper and various spices, stuffed into natural or artificial casings and ripened for 30-60 days, native to the Campania, today produced throughout Italy. The organoleptic and sensory properties of this product are due to the degradation events (proteolysis, lipolysis) occurring during the maturation: the lipid fraction undergoes hydrolytic and oxidative changes, involving liberation of free fatty acids (FFA), volatile compounds and precursor of odorous molecules. Endogenous enzymes, such as calpains and cathepsins, are primarily responsible for the initial degradation of the sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins, then the most commonly found Lactobacillus species in dry fermented meats are able to hydrolyse myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic muscle proteins in vitro. The peptides produced can influence final taste of the salami and moreover are object of the activity of endogenous and exogenous amino peptidases releasing amino acids which represent precursors of aromatic compounds. The aim of this work has been to characterize the metabolites formed during ripening of Naples-type salami, in particular have been evaluated structural and aromatic differences between industrial and artisanal products. Analyses were carried out on two Naples-type salami experimental productions, an industrial and an artisanal, that differ in amount of pepper and for the use of microbiological starter in industrial salami and on four salami samples procured on the market. At first a proteomic analysis has been carried out on sarcoplasmic fraction of Naples-type salami by RP-HPLC technique coupled to MALDI-TOF-MS and ESI-MS, later on a metabolomic analysis of lipid and aromatic components using HS-SPME-GC-MS techniques. The proteolysis produced a different final proteic pattern probably due to the action of different microflora a microbial starter in industrial salami and autochthon microflora in artisanal one; the proteins less susceptible to proteolysis were carbonic anhydrase 3, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase , β-enolase 3 and triosephosphate isomerase; in both salami samples were observed the total proteolysis of creatine kinase, phosphofructokinase and phosphoglicerate kinase, instead myoglobin, fructose bisphosphate aldolase A and phosphoglicerate mutase disappeared only in industrial salami and troponine C 2, pyruvate kinase and glucose-6-P-isomerase in artisanal one. The fresh meat sample presented a few peptides because in an early stage of the tenderization process (48-72 h), however they derived mainly from the proteolysis of phosphofructokinase, piruvate kinase and β-enolase 3. In the sample of industrial salami after 30 days of ripening the proteolysis resulted very pronounced with production of a high number of novel peptides that derived mainly from glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, pyruvate kinase and fructose bisphosphate aldolase A. Moreover some peptides common to industrial samples after 7, 21 and 30 days of ripening, such as the peptide 284-304 of calpastatin and the peptide 87-107 of creatine kinase, have been identified and some other common to artisanal salami in order to use them as molecular markers as indicators of manufacturing and technological processes. Final proteic pattern of industrial salami resulted different from artisanal one because essentially endogenous muscle enzymes, such as calpains and cathepsins, act during ripening of artisanal salami together with enzymes of inside microflora. These differences can be put in evidence by creation of data bank could be achieved to quickly identify and safeguard typical products. Furthermore the characterisation of the peptides formed during ripening could be used to evaluate the degree of proteolysis in a given meat sample as well as to correlate the rheological and sensory characteristics with formation of typical compounds. The aromatic profile of industrial salami resulted more complex than artisanal one for the use of starter cultures. Pepper compounds were quantitatively the largest group of volatiles identified in the aromatic profile of industrial salami at 30 days of ripening. The absence of microbial starter in artisanal salami determine a minor concentration of compounds such as ethyl esters and methyl ketones related to activity of S. xylosus and carnosus species. Among volatile and semivolatile odorous molecules identified in salami samples, were present short chain fatty acids such as octanoic acid, decanoic, dodecanoic. These molecules are present in greater amount in the industrial salami to indicate a more advanced lipolytic process in this last one respect to artisanal salami. The characterization of sarcoplasmic proteins and peptides as well as the analysis of aromas could be used for identification of molecular markers of quality and typicality in order to obtain the Protected Designation of Origin (P.D.O.) mark, to differentiate an artisanal salami from an industrial one and to allow traceability of the products

A new species of Soikiella Nowicki (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) from Italy

A new species of Soikiella Nowicki (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) that emerged mostly from galls induced by Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) on chestnut is described from Italy. The characterization of the new taxon, Soikiella italica Viggiani sp. n., was performed through a morpho-molecular approach. A key to the species of Soikiella is given. Emerging from the same samples were a few females of an unidentified species of Trichogramma Westwood that likely emerged from eggs of Lepidoptera associated with the galls. The true host of S. italica is also indicated to be the eggs of some insect other than D. kuriphilus that uses their galls as oviposition sites

<i>Trichoderma harzianum</i> Volatile Organic Compounds Regulated by the THCTF1 Transcription Factor Are Involved in Antifungal Activity and Beneficial Plant Responses

The transcription factor THCTF1 from Trichoderma harzianum, previously linked to the production of 6-pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one (6-PP) derivatives and antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum, has been related in this study to conidiation, production of an array of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and expression of methyltransferase genes. VOCs emitted by three T. harzianum strains (wild type T34, transformant ΔD1-38 that is disrupted in the Thctf1 gene encoding the transcription factor THCTF1, and ectopic integration transformant ΔJ3-16) were characterized by Proton Transfer Reaction-Quadrupole interface-Time-Of-Flight-Mass Spectrometry (PTR-Qi-TOF-MS). Thctf1 disruption affected the production of numerous VOCs such as the antifungal volatiles 2-pentyl furan and benzaldehyde which were under-emitted, and acetoine, a plant systemic defense inductor, which was over-emitted. Biological assays show that VOCs regulated by THCTF1 are involved in the T. harzianum antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea and in the beneficial effects leading to Arabidopsis plant development. The VOC blend from the disruptant ΔD1-38: (i) inhibited Arabidopsis seed germination for at least 26 days and (ii) when applied to Arabidopsis seedlings resulted in increased jasmonic acid- and salicylic acid-dependent defenses

Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Profiles of Different Trichoderma Species and Their Potential Application

Fungi emit a broad spectrum of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), sometimes producing species-specific volatile profiles. Volatilomes have received over the last decade increasing attention in ecological, environmental and agricultural studies due to their potential to be used in the biocontrol of plant pathogens and pests and as plant growth-promoting factors. In the present study, we characterised and compared the volatilomes from four different Trichoderma species: T. asperellum B6; T. atroviride P1; T. afroharzianum T22; and T. longibrachiatum MK1. VOCs were collected from each strain grown both on PDA and in soil and analysed using proton transfer reaction quadrupole interface time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-Qi-TOF-MS). Analysis of the detected volatiles highlighted a clear separation of the volatilomes of all the four species grown on PDA whereas the volatilomes of the soil-grown fungi could be only partially separated. Moreover, a limited number of species-specific peaks were found and putatively identified. In particular, each of the four Trichoderma species over-emitted somevolatiles involved in resistance induction, promotion of plant seed germination and seedling development and antimicrobial activity, as 2-pentyl-furan, 6PP, acetophenone and p-cymene by T. asperellum B6, T. atroviride P1, T. afroharzianum T22 and T. longibrachiatum MK1, respectively. Their potential role in interspecific interactions from the perspective of biological control is briefly discussed

Resistance of a Local Ecotype of Castanea sativa to Dryocosmus kuriphilus (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) in Southern Italy

The cynipid Dryocosmus kuriphilus is the most impactful invasive pest of Castanea sativa copse woods and orchards currently reported from many European countries. A low impact solution for the containment of this pest could be the use of resistant trees. We examined the resistance of the red salernitan ecotype (RSE) of C. sativa to D. kuriphilus and carried out a morphological characterization of this ecotype’s plants and fruits. From November 2015 to May 2017 we observed and recorded the percentage of infested buds, healthy leaves and shoots on about 50 chestnut trees, together with the number, size, and position of galls, and the number of eggs laid by the gall wasps into the buds and the number of larvae inside the galls. We showed a progressive mortality of cynipid larvae up to the starting point of galls development when almost total larval mortality was recorded. This suggests that RSE trees have a moderate resistance to D. kuriphilus; however, resistance acts at different levels, resulting in fewer eggs being deposited, a low number of larvae reaching the complete development, and a low number of galls on the branches. Moreover, the galls on resistant trees are smaller than the susceptible ones, so the larvae are more exposed to parasitization

Species delimitation of <i>Leptocybe invasa</i> specimens based on bPTP analysis on the COI dataset.

<p>Clades highlighted with coloured boxes and names in bold after a | symbol correspond to recognised putative species of <i>L</i>. <i>invasa</i>. Posterior delimitation probabilities values are reported above branches.</p