495 research outputs found
The use of kaolin to control Ceratitis capitata in organic citrus groves.
The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera Tephritidae), is the key pest in some organically managed citrus orchards in Sicily. The effectiveness of processed kaolin (Surround WP) for control of C. capitata damage was tested in field trials carried out in 2003-2004 on two early ripening citrus species: satsuma (Citrus unshiu Markow.) and clementine (Citrus clementina Hort. ex Tan.). Although the number of males captured in trimedlure baited traps was high in both years and in both orchards, the percentage of damaged fruit varied greatly from almost 0% (satsuma 2003) to more than 60% (clementine, both years). Nevertheless, the application of processed kaolin significantly reduced damage caused by C. capitata on both citrus spe- cies on preharvest fruit on some dates and on harvested fruits in both years. The kaolin was easily removed from harvested fruit by washing. Processed kaolin has potential for reducing damage caused by C. capitata in organic and conventional citrus or- chards
Control of Bactrocera oleae and Ceratitis capitata in Organic Orchards: Use of Clays and Copper Products.
Tests on the effect of clays (kaolin and bentonite) and copper products
(hydroxide and oxychloride) in the control of olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), and Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), were carried out from 2003 to 2006 in olive groves and in organic citrus orchards (satsuma, clementine, ‘Navelina’ orange). Results demonstrate an efficacy of kaolin products in reducing attacks of B. oleae on olives and those of C. capitata on citrus fruits; in olive groves the clays gave similar or better results than copper hydroxide. Bentonite AG/8W showed a significant reduction in punctures by C. capitata. Bentonite products and BPLK kaolin are washed off by rainfall more easily than Surround WP kaolin. In contrast to the effect of copper hydroxide on B. oleae in olive groves, no tested copper product showed a significant reduction in C. capitata punctures on citrus fruits. Clays are very useful tools to control tephritid and other insects and are also environmentally friendly, but currently, they are not permitted as products for plant protection in European and Swiss organic farming
First record of the non-pollinating fig wasp Odontofroggatia galili Wiebes, 1980 from Malta (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Agaonidae)
The fig wasp Odontofroggatia galili is reported for the first time from Malta. Odontofroggatia is a non-pollinating fig wasp genus associated with a narrow range of host plant species, among them Ficus microcarpa, a widespread ornamental tree native to Asia.peer-reviewe
FIRST RECORD IN ITALY OF PSYLLAEPHAGUS BLITEUS RIEK (Hymenoptera Encyrtidae) PARASITOID OF GLYCASPIS BRIMBLECOMBEI MOORE (Hemiptera Psyllidae)
Psyllaephagus bliteus Riek (Hymenoptera Encyrtidae), parasitoid of the red gum lerp psyllid Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore (Hemiptera Psyllidae), has been recorded for the first time in Italy in September 2011. The arrival of P. bliteus in Sicily is due to an accidental introduction, probably together with its host, as already happened in New Zealand, Brazil, Spain and Morocco
Role of spontaneous plants as a reservoir of alternative hosts for Semielacher petiolatus (Girault) and Citrostichus phyllocnistoides (Narayanan) (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) in citrus groves
The role spontaneous plants could eventually play towards populations of two exotic parasitoids, Semielacher petiolatus (Girault) and Citrostichus phyllocnistoides (Narayanan), was investigated in five Sicilian citrus groves. Both species were obtained from two herbs typically living beneath the citrus trees in the period of scarce availability of P. citrella larvae on citrus plants, and precisely: S. petiolatus was reared from Cosmopterix pulcherimella Chambers, leafminer on Parietaria diffusa M. et K., while C. phyllocnistoides on the same species and on a Liriomyza species associated to Mercurialis annua L., these last two host records being new for the parasitoid. Vegetational diversity can then enhance survival and maintenance of populations of exotic parasitoids in citrus agroecosystem, providing them with alternative hosts. The incidence of parasitism of S. petiolatus and C. phyllocnistoides on non-target hosts was, however, so low (2.8% for S. petiolatus on C. pulcherimella, and 8.3% and 3.3% for C. phyllocnistoides on C. pulcherimella and Liriomyza sp. respectively) that a negative impact on both native leafminer and autochthonous parasitoid populations can be excluded
Control of Bactrocera oleae and Ceratitis capitata in Organic Orchards: Use of Clays and Copper Products.
Tests on the effect of clays (kaolin and bentonite) and copper products (hydroxide and oxychloride) in the control of olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), and Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), were carried out from 2003 to 2006 in olive groves and in organic citrus orchards (satsuma, clementine, ‘Navelina’ orange). Results demonstrate an efficacy of kaolin products in reducing attacks of B. oleae on olives and those of C. capitata on citrus fruits; in olive groves the clays gave similar or better results than copper hydroxide. Bentonite AG/8W showed a significant reduction in punctures by C. capitata. Bentonite products and BPLK kaolin are washed off by rainfall more easily than Surround WP kaolin. In contrast to the effect of copper hydroxide on B. oleae in olive groves, no tested copper product showed a significant reduction in C. capitata punctures on citrus fruits. Clays are very useful tools to control tephritid and other insects and are also environmental friendly, but currently, they are not permitted as products for plant protection in European and Swiss organic farming
Primi studi sulla biologia e sul controllo di Cydia funebrana (Treitschke) in susineti biologici siciliani
First studies on biology and control of Cydia funebrana (treitschke) in Sicilian organic plum orchards.
Cydia funebrana (Treitschke), considered the key pest in the Sicilian plum orchards. Few studies were carried out in
Sicily concerning C. funebrana life cycle, forecasting models and the effectiveness of some products permitted in organic
plum orchards.
In 2010 researches were carried out in three Sicilian plum orchards, two in Palermo Province (Monreale and San
Giuseppe Jato) and one in Agrigento Province (Castrofilippo), in order to monitor the population, to evaluate damage levels
caused by the plum moth and to estimate how many generations it could complete by Charmillot’s forecasting model.
In addition, in San Giuseppe Jato, the effectiveness of mineral oil and Spinosad, products permitted in organic farming,
was evaluated on three different plum cultivars, Angeleno, Friar and Stanley.
Field data showed that the plum moth completes at least three yearly generations. Moreover, clear differences have been
found among the cultivars compared in San Giuseppe Jato orchard, Angeleno being the most susceptible to the moth attack.
Local plum cultivars in Monreale were more susceptible to plum moth attack than all the other ones.
Charmillot's model about generation numbers by temperature records, provided an overestimate of the C. funebrana
generations.
The only orchard in which the infestation level was very low was that in Castrofilippo.
Field trials did not show adequate efficacy of tested products to reduce C. funebrana damages
Naturalization and spread of the alien species Ozognathus cornutus (LeConte, 1859) (Coleoptera: Ptinidae: Ernobiinae) in Italy
Ozognathus cornutus (LeConte, 1859) (Coleoptera: Ptinidae: Ernobiinae), species native to North America, is a saproxylophagous species and is known to feed on decaying tissues within conspicuous galls and on vegetal decaying organic material such as dried fruits or small wood shavings and insect excrements in galleries made by other woodboring species. A few years after the first record in 2011, its naturalization in Italy is here reported. The insect was found as successor in galls of Psectrosema tamaricis (Diptera Cecidomyiidae), Plagiotrochus gallaeramulorum, Andricus multiplicatus and Synophrus politus (Hymenoptera Cynipidae). The galls seem to have played an important ecological role in speeding up the naturalization process. The lowest proportion of galls used by O. cornutus was recorded for P. tamaricis (23%), the only host belonging to Cecidomyiidae, while the percentages recorded for the other host species, all Cynipidae forming galls on oaks, were higher: 43.6%, 61.1% and 76.9% in A multiplicatus, S. politus and P. gallaeramulorum, respectively. Although O. cornutus is able to exploit other substrates like dried fruits and vegetables, for which it could represent a potential pest, it prefers to live as a successor in woody and conspicuous galls, which thus can represent a sort of natural barrier limiting the possible damages to other substrates
FIRST RECORD IN EUROPE OF SEEDLINGS OF FICUS MACROPHYLLA F. COLUMNARIS (Moraceae) AND OF ITS POLLINATING WASP PLEISTODONTES CF. IMPERIALIS (Chalcidoidea Agaonidae)
Since the first half of the nineteenth century, several Ficus species have been introduced into Italy as ornamental trees throughout urban gardens and along urban roads. Because a relationship with an agaonid wasp is essential for the pollination and consequently for the production of fertile seeds of Ficus spp., the seedlings of other introduced fig species (Ficus microcarpa L. f., Ficus rubiginosa Desf. ex Vent. and Ficus watkinsiana F.M. Bailey) weren’t found in Europe in conjunction with their pollinating wasps until more than a century after the figs’ introduction. This study presents the first recorded observation of Ficus macrophylla f. columnaris (C. Moore) D. J. Dixon seedlings in Europe. The seedlings grew from fertile seeds pollinated by the Agaonid Pleistodontes cf. imperialis. As no other F. macrophylla seedlings have been found in any of the other historical gardens of Palermo where this species is present in spite of the occurrence of mature figs fruits, it is possible that the cracks of the terrace filled with soil and organic material where the plantlets were found could have created favorable microclimatic conditions quite similar to those that characterize the native distri- bution areas of this species
New Records of Gall-inducer and Inquiline Insects in a Few Mediterranean Countries, with Biological Notes
An annotated list of some gall-inducing and inquiline insects found on herbaceous plants and trees in Italy and in other few Mediterranean countries is reported. Among the gall-inducer species, Phanacis phoenixopodos (Mayr, 1882) is new for the Italian peninsula, Callirhytis rufescens (Mayr, 1882), Andricus quercusramuli (L., 1761) and Plagiotrochus amenti Kieffer, 1901 (Cynipidae: Hymenoptera) are new for Sicily; the latter was previously cited from Italy without collecting data. Oecocecis guyonella Guenée, 1870 was found in Libya and Amblypalpis olivierella Ragonot, 1886 (Gelechiidae: Lepidoptera) in Jordan, Libya, Northern Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, Saphonecrus gallaepomiformis (Boyer de Fonscolombe, 1832) (Cynipidae: Hymenoptera), a common inquiline of P. amenti, is new for Italy
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