THE INCIDENCE OF POTATO VIRUS Y (NECROTIC STRAINS) IN SEED POTATO GROWN IN SEVERAL ROMANIAN COUNTIES (PRELIMINARY STUDIES)

Protective measures of culture against Potato Virus Y necrotic strains (PVYN) infections, diagnosis and control of this pathogen play an important role in potato seed production technology and multiplication. Also, the choice of resistant varieties to the PVYN infection could be one of the measures recommended for farmers and producers. Surveys during 2 years (2014, 2015), in five main seed potato growing areas of Romania (Brasov, Covasna, Harghita, Cluj, Suceava), for 10 varieties (Christian, Roclas., Riviera, Carrera, Bellarosa, Jelly, Desiree, Red Fantasy, Hermes and Red Lady), revelead significant differences in PVYN incidence.The tests confirmed the PVYN presence in all the regions, with high prevalence of this virus especially for the cultivars Hermes and Carrera and very low spread for for the cultivars the cultivars the cultivars the cultivars the cultivars the cultivars Riviera and Christian

An integrative environmental pollen diversity assessment and its importance for the Sustainable Development Goals

Pollen is at once intimately part of the reproductive cycle of seed plants and simultaneously highly relevant for the environment (pollinators, vector for nutrients, or organisms), people (food safety and health), and climate (cloud condensation nuclei and climate reconstruction). We provide an interdisciplinary perspective on the many and connected roles of pollen to foster a better integration of the currently disparate fields of pollen research, which would benefit from the sharing of general knowledge, technical advancements, or data processing solutions. We propose a more interdisciplinary and holistic research approach that encompasses total environmental pollen diversity (ePD) (wind and animal and occasionally water distributed pollen) at multiple levels of diversity (genotypic, phenotypic, physiological, chemical, and functional) across space and time. This interdisciplinary approach holds the potential to contribute to pressing human issues, including addressing United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, fostering social and political awareness of these tiny yet important and fascinating particles

The effect of exposure to synthetic pheromone lures on male Zygaena filipendulae mating behaviour: implications for monitoring species of conservation interest

Pheromone based monitoring of insects of conservation value has the potential to revolutionise the way in which surveys are carried out. However, due to their effective use in pest management, concerns have been raised about potential negative effects of pheromone exposure on populations of rare insects. The effect of exposure to synthetic pheromone lures on male mating behaviour was examined in laboratory and field conditions using the six spot burnet moth Zygaena filipendulae (Linnaeus, 1758). For the laboratory experiment larvae were collected and cultured separately under controlled conditions. Virgin males were exposed to a synthetic pheromone lure for 24 h; then tested for responsiveness immediately after this exposure, 1 and 24 h later. Control males were tested three times: initially, 1 h later and 24 h later. The time taken for males to detect females, shown by exposure of their anal claspers, and the time taken for males to locate females were recorded. No significant difference was found between the time taken for control and exposed males to detect or locate females, and no significant difference between the proportions of males that successfully located females in exposed and control groups was found. In the field experiment the time males spent in the presence of contained females, both with and without a pheromone lure present, was recorded. Males spent more time in the presence of the females when the pheromone lure was present. Both experiments indicate male Z. filipendulae mating behaviour is not adversely affected by exposure to synthetic pheromone lures

EuPPollNet: a European database of plant‐pollinator networks

Motivation: Pollinators play a crucial role in maintaining Earth's terrestrial biodiversity. However, rapid human‐induced environmental changes are compromising the long‐term persistence of plant‐pollinator interactions. Unfortunately, we lack robust, generalisable data capturing how plant‐pollinator communities are structured across space and time. Here, we present the EuPPollNet (European Plant‐Pollinator Networks) database, a fully open European‐level database containing harmonised taxonomic data on plant‐pollinator interactions referenced in both space and time, along with other ecological variables of interest. In addition, we evaluate the taxonomic and sampling coverage of EuPPollNet, and summarise key structural properties in plant‐pollinator networks. We believe EuPPollNet will stimulate research to address data gaps in plant‐pollinator interactions and guide future efforts in conservation planning. Main Types of Variables Included: EuPPollNet contains 1,162,109 interactions between plants and pollinators from 1864 distinct networks, which belong to 52 different studies distributed across 23 European countries. Information about sampling methodology, habitat type, biogeographic region and additional taxonomic rank information (i.e. order, family, genus and species) is also provided. Spatial Location and Grain: The database contains 1214 different sampling locations from 13 different natural and anthropogenic habitats that fall in 7 different biogeographic regions. All records are geo‐referenced and presented in the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84). Time Period and Grain: Species interaction data was collected between 2004 and 2021. Major Taxa and Level of Measurement: The database contains interaction data at the species level for 94% of the records, including a total of 1411 plant and 2223 pollinator species. The database includes data on 6% of the European species of flowering plants, 34% of bees, 26% of butterflies and 33% of syrphid species at the European level. Software Format: The database was built with R and is stored in ‘.rds’ and ‘.csv’ formats. Its construction is fully reproducible and can be accessed at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14747448

Alterations of steppe-like grasslands in Eastern Europe : a threat to regional biodiversity hotspots

Recent changes in agriculture (intensification or abandonment) have resulted in a critical reduction of steppe-like grasslands in Eastern Europe. These grasslands harbor an extraordinarily high diversity of plants and invertebrates, including endemics, and are considered refugia for numerous threatened open-land species. We examined species richness, and abundance, proportion of open-land, endemic and threatened vascular plants, gastropods, and diurnal and nocturnal Lepidoptera in six different vegetation types all originating from steppe-like grasslands in Transylvania, Romania. Vegetation types included extensively grazed pastures (initial stage), three seral stages of succession (early stage of abandoned grassland, abandoned grassland with shrubs, and mature forest), and two human-made grassland alterations, namely abandoned vineyards and Pinus plantations. A total of 852 species (291 vascular plants, 24 gastropods, 129 diurnal and 408 nocturnal Lepidoptera) were found in the 22 study sites. The four taxonomic groups differed in their response to the abandonment of steppe-like grassland, except that species richness of plants and diurnal Lepidoptera were positively correlated. The complementarity of species composition increased with successional age in all taxonomic groups examined. The number of characteristic open-land species decreased with successional age in plants and gastropods. All investigated vegetation types harbored threatened (red-listed) species. Endemic species were found in all vegetation types except mature forests and Pinus plantations. All Transylvanian endemics and the majority of threatened species found were open-land species. Extensively cultivated vineyards, which have been abandoned for two to three decades, also maintained high plant and invertebrate diversities, comparable to those of the corresponding stages of grassland succession. In contrast, Pinus plantations (a recent grassland alteration) have changed habitat quality and will have a devastating effect on the unique, indigenous diversity of these steppe-like grasslands as soon as the canopy closes. To prevent losses of characteristic species, we suggest a rotational grassland management program that maintains different seral stages. Succession to mature forest and additional Pinus plantations should be prevented

Specialization for Tachinid Fly Pollination in the Phenologically Divergent Varieties of the Orchid Neotinea ustulata

Despite increased focus on elucidating the various reproductive strategies employed by orchids, we still have only a rather limited understanding of deceptive pollination systems that are not bee- or wasp-mediated. In Europe, the orchid Neotinea ustulata has been known to consist of two phenologically divergent varieties, neither of which provide rewards to its pollinators. However, detailed studies of their reproductive biology have been lacking. Our study aimed to characterize and understand the floral traits (i.e., morphology, color, and scent chemistry) and reproductive biology of N. ustulata. We found that the two varieties differ in all their floral traits; furthermore, while Neotinea ustulata var. ustulata appears to be pollinated by both bees (e.g., Anthophora, Bombus) and flies (e.g., Dilophus, Tachina), var. aestivalis is pollinated almost entirely by flies (i.e., Nowickia, Tachina). Tachinids were also found to be much more effective than bees in removing pollinaria, and we show experimentally that they use the characteristic dark inflorescence top as a cue for approaching inflorescences. Our results thus suggest that while both N. ustulata varieties rely on tachinids for pollination, they differ in their degree of specialization. Further studies are, however, needed to fully understand the reproductive strategy of N. ustulata varieties.</jats:p

Interspecific crossability and cytogenetic analysis of sexual progenies of Mexican wild diploid 1EBN species Solanum pinnatisectum and S. cardiophyllum

Mexican wild diploid species, Solanum pinnatisectum (S. pnt) (2n=2x=24, 1EBN: endosperm balance number) is a useful germplasm source of late blight and Colorado potato beetle (CPB) resistance in potato improvement. However, it is very difficult to cross this species with other 1EBN Solanum species. Sexual hybrids among three accessions of S. pnt and two accessions of S. cardiophyllum (S. cph) (2n=2x=24,1EBN) were studied. There were large differences in the cross-compatibility among the genotypes and accessions from these two 2x-1EBN species. Interspecific incompatibility existed in the crosses between S. pnt and S. cph, in which S. cph functioned only as the male parent. The crosses with accessions PI 275236 of S. pnt produced 35 hybrids following the conventional propagation procedures. Seven hybrids were obtained with the S. pnt accession PI 275233 with the aid of embryo rescue, while hybridization involving accession PI 253214 resulted in no fruit. The cytogenetic analysis indicated that all of the hybrids derived from crosses of accession PI 275233 of S. pnt with S. cph had 2n = 24 chromosomes and were pollen fertile. Crosses involving accession PI 275236 of S. pnt produced both 2x (2n=24) and 3x (2n=36) hybrids. Meiotic analysis at metaphase I of pollen mother cells (PMCs) showed a fairly high rate of chromosome pairing that averaged between 10.10 and 11.10 bivalents per cell in most of the 2x hybrids, indicating S. pnt and S. cph have the similar genome. A high frequency of trivalents and quadrivalents were observed in 3x hybrids derived from S. pnt 2 x S. cph 1, indicating homology exists among these chromosomes. These results suggest that specific gene(s) and not either differences between genomes or EBN controlled interspecific crossability and embryo development. The disease and insect tests on the 2x and 3x hybrids revealed that all have high levels of resistance to both late blight and CPB. Thus it could appear that selection of genotypes is a key for successful interspecific hybridization when using Mexican wild diploid species as a source of economic important traits

Ecological impacts of early 21st century agricultural change in Europe - A review

The impacts of agricultural land use are far-reaching and extend to areas outside production. This paper provides an overview of the ecological status of agricultural systems across the European Union in the light of recent policy changes. It builds on the previous review of 2001 devoted to the impacts of agricultural intensification in Western Europe. The focus countries are the UK, The Netherlands, Boreal and Baltic countries, Portugal, Hungary and Romania, representing a geographical spread across Europe, but additional reference is made to other countries. Despite many adjustments to agricultural policy, intensification of production in some regions and concurrent abandonment in others remain the major threat to the ecology of agro-ecosystems impairing the state of soil, water and air and reducing biological diversity in agricultural landscapes. The impacts also extend to surrounding terrestrial and aquatic systems through water and aerial contamination and development of agricultural infrastructures (e.g. dams and irrigation channels). Improvements are also documented regionally, such as successful support of farmland species, and improved condition of watercourses and landscapes. This was attributed to agricultural policy targeted at the environment, improved environmental legislation, and new market opportunities. Research into ecosystem services associated with agriculture may provide further pressure to develop policy that is targeted at their continuous provisioning, fostering motivation of land managers to continue to protect and enhance the