Analysis of the Spatial Spread of Sharka (Plum Pox Virus) in Apricot and Peach Orchards in Eastern Spain

Spatial patterns of sharka disease, caused by plum pox virus (PPV) and vectored by several species of aphid, were determined by double antibody sandwich-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using polyclonal antibodies in newly infected, mature apricot and peach orchards in eastern Spain. Among yearly assessments of plots examined for within- and across-row aggregation of adjacent sharka-diseased trees, only a few transects were found to have aggregation by ordinary runs analyses. Analyses, using beta-binomial index of dispersion (I-beta) to determine if spatial aggregation was present in each plot for data partitioned into quadrats of different spatial dimension, demonstrated occasional aggregation and results were generally inconclusive. Significant (I-beta) values, when present, were generally found associated with plots with higher disease incidence. No disease gradients were discernible for any of the plots and years. More rigorous spatial analyses were used to test for spatial relationships over longer distances. Two-dimensional distance class analyses indicated a spatial dependency of PPV-infected stone-fruit trees over distance, a general scarcity of significant distance classes near the origin, and the presence of significant distance classes occasionally comprising small loose clusters at distances near the center or distal end of the proximity matrices especially during the initial stages of the epidemics. Geostatistical analysis confirmed the lack of significant associations among immediately adjacent trees and the trend for higher order spatial associations in semivariograms for distances corresponding to the center and distal ends of the proximity matrices. This trend in semivariance over distance was best described by linear or exponential increase models compared with transitional models commonly used in geostatistics. Correlation analysis indicated a significant conservation of orientation of localized systemic infections in scaffold branches over years. The spatial patterns of sharka suggest the lack of movement of PPV-viruliferous aphid vectors to immediately adjacent trees and their preferential movement to trees several tree spaces away

Seguimiento de las guías españolas para el manejo del asma por el médico de atención primaria: un estudio observacional ambispectivo

Objetivo Evaluar el grado de seguimiento de las recomendaciones de las versiones de la Guía española para el manejo del asma (GEMA 2009 y 2015) y su repercusión en el control de la enfermedad. Material y métodos Estudio observacional y ambispectivo realizado entre septiembre del 2015 y abril del 2016, en el que participaron 314 médicos de atención primaria y 2.864 pacientes. Resultados Utilizando datos retrospectivos, 81 de los 314 médicos (25, 8% [IC del 95%, 21, 3 a 30, 9]) comunicaron seguir las recomendaciones de la GEMA 2009. Al inicio del estudio, 88 de los 314 médicos (28, 0% [IC del 95%, 23, 4 a 33, 2]) seguían las recomendaciones de la GEMA 2015. El tener un asma mal controlada (OR 0, 19, IC del 95%, 0, 13 a 0, 28) y presentar un asma persistente grave al inicio del estudio (OR 0, 20, IC del 95%, 0, 12 a 0, 34) se asociaron negativamente con tener un asma bien controlada al final del seguimiento. Por el contrario, el seguimiento de las recomendaciones de la GEMA 2015 se asoció de manera positiva con una mayor posibilidad de que el paciente tuviera un asma bien controlada al final del periodo de seguimiento (OR 1, 70, IC del 95%, 1, 40 a 2, 06). Conclusiones El escaso seguimiento de las guías clínicas para el manejo del asma constituye un problema común entre los médicos de atención primaria. Un seguimiento de estas guías se asocia con un control mejor del asma. Existe la necesidad de actuaciones que puedan mejorar el seguimiento por parte de los médicos de atención primaria de las guías para el manejo del asma. Objective: To assess the degree of compliance with the recommendations of the 2009 and 2015 versions of the Spanish guidelines for managing asthma (Guía Española para el Manejo del Asma [GEMA]) and the effect of this compliance on controlling the disease. Material and methods: We conducted an observational ambispective study between September 2015 and April 2016 in which 314 primary care physicians and 2864 patients participated. Results: Using retrospective data, we found that 81 of the 314 physicians (25.8%; 95% CI 21.3–30.9) stated that they complied with the GEMA2009 recommendations. At the start of the study, 88 of the 314 physicians (28.0%; 95% CI 23.4–33.2) complied with the GEMA2015 recommendations. Poorly controlled asthma (OR, 0.19; 95% CI 0.13–0.28) and persistent severe asthma at the start of the study (OR, 0.20; 95% CI 0.12–0.34) were negatively associated with having well-controlled asthma by the end of the follow-up. In contrast, compliance with the GEMA2015 recommendations was positively associated with a greater likelihood that the patient would have well-controlled asthma by the end of the follow-up (OR, 1.70; 95% CI 1.40–2.06). Conclusions: Low compliance with the clinical guidelines for managing asthma is a common problem among primary care physicians. Compliance with these guidelines is associated with better asthma control. Actions need to be taken to improve primary care physician compliance with the asthma management guidelines

Comparison of sampling methods to evaluate aphid populations (Homoptera, Aphidinea) alighting on apricot trees

Alate aphid populations landing on apricot trees were studied in an orchard during Spring, 1990 in Valencia, Spain. The sticky tree method was introduced which consisted of spraying leaves and shoots of the tree with a sticky substance; aphids landing there remained stuck. Aphid collections with this method were compared with those obtained using green water pan traps and sticky fishing-line traps. Aphis gossypii was the most abundant species landing on apricot trees (leaves and shoots), while Aphis spiraecola was only abundant on shoots. Collections of aphids using either the fishing-line traps or the green traps were not representative of the actual population of aphids landing on apricot trees; captures in green traps were similar to captures on shoots and captures with fishing-line traps were similar to captures on leaves. Since neither of the 2 traps was able to provide a good estimation of the aphid populations landing on apricot trees, both traps must be used if the sticky tree method is not used.Comparaison de méthodes d'échantillonnage pour évaluer l'atterrissage des populations de pucerons sur abricotier. Le but de l'essai était d'étudier les populations de pucerons ailés qui atterrissent sur des abricotiers. Pour cela, la technique des arbres englués a été essayée ; elle consiste à pulvériser sur les feuilles et les jeunes pousses de l'arbre une substance collante. Les pucerons capturés à l'aide de cette technique ont été comparés à ceux capturés par des pièges verts à eau et par des pièges à fils englués. L'essai a été réalisé au printemps 1990 dans un verger d'abricotiers à Valence (Espagne). L'espèce la plus abondante sur les arbres englués (feuilles et pousses) était Aphis gossypii, tandis qu'A spiraecola était abondant seulement sur les pousses. Les pièges à fils englués et les pièges verts à eau ne donnent pas une image exacte des pucerons qui atterrissent sur les arbres: les pucerons capturés par les pièges verts à eau étaient semblables à ceux qui atterrissaient sur les pousses, tandis que ceux capturés par les pièges à fils englués étaient semblables à ceux qui atterrissaient sur les feuilles. Les 2 types de pièges doivent donc être utilisés pour analyser les populations de pucerons qui atterrissent sur les arbres, si la technique de l'arbre englué n'est pas utilisée

Comparison of traps for capture of alate aphids (Homoptera, Aphidinea) in apricot tree orchards

Three types of trap, yellow water trap (Moericke), green water trap and sticky fishing-line trap (placed at 2 orientations and at 2 heights) were used to sample alate aphid populations in 2 apricot tree orchards infected with sharka (plum pox) virus. These traps were operated in the spring of 1988 and 1989 at 2 locations in Valencia (Spain); 149 086 aphids were caught. Aphis gossypii was the most important species in our orchards since it was the most abundant in fishing-line traps. In these traps height had an influence in species composition, while orientation did not. Yellow colour attraction was very clear for Aphis spiraecola while colour attraction was not clear for A gossypii. Very different results were obtained with the 3 types of trap. The percentage of A spiraecola in yellow traps was much higher than that in the green traps and the percentage in green traps was much higher than that in the fishing-line traps. The percentage of A gossypii in fishing-line traps was much higher than that in the green traps and the percentage in green traps was higher than that in the yellow traps.Comparaison de pièges pour l'échantillonnage des pucerons ailés (Homoptera, Aphidinea) dans deux vergers d'abricotiers. Trois modèles de pièges, piège jaune à eau (Moericke), piège vert à eau et piège à fils englués (2 orientations et 2 hauteurs) ont été essayés pour échantillonner les populations de pucerons ailés dans 2 vergers d'abricotiers infectés par le virus de la sharka (plum pox virus). Ces pièges ont été mis en place aux printemps 1988 et 1989, dans 2 localités de Valencia (Espagne) (tableau I). 149 086 pucerons ont été capturés. L'espèce la plus importante a été Aphis gossypii puisqu'elle a été la plus abondante sur les pièges à fils englués. Sur ces pièges la hauteur a eu une influence sur la composition des espèces, mais non l'orientation (tableaux II, III). L'attraction de la couleur jaune a été très marquée pour Aphis spiraecola (tableau IV) tandis que cette attraction n'a pas été claire pour A gossypii. On a obtenu des résultats très différents selon le piège utilisé (tableau V, fig 2). Le pourcentage de A spiraecola sur le piège jaune a été beaucoup plus élevé que sur le piège vert et le pourcentage sur le piège vert plus élevé que sur le piège à fils. Le pourcentage de A gossypii sur le piège à fils a été beaucoup plus élevé que sur le piège vert et le pourcentage sur le piège vert a été plus élevé que sur le piège jaune

Identification of aphids which are potential vectors of plum pox virus: comparison of methods, results and epidemiological consequences

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