LE SOSTANZE DI ORIGINE VEGETALE NEL CONTROLLO DEGLI ACARI FITOFAGI E GLI EFFETTI COLLATERALI SUI FITOSEIDI

I metaboliti secondari con caratteristiche biocide presenti in molte piante, possono rappresentare una buona scelta per il controllo delle popolazioni dei fitofagi nei processi agricoli ecocompatibili. In particolare nelle coltivazioni gestite in regime di agricoltura biologica o biodinamica, il controllo degli acari fitofagi risulta attualmente legato solo a tecniche di controllo biologico o tecniche colturali con risultati non sempre soddisfacenti. Nella presente revisione vengono riportate notizie sull\u2019azione di diversi estratti vegetali nei confronti di acari fitofagi, nonch\ue9 notizie sugli effetti collaterali di questi estrati nei confronti di alcune specie di acari predatori.Botanical extracts as miticides and side effects on phytoseiid mites The secondary compounds of plants with biocide characteristics can represent good candidates for crop protection especially in Organic farming, where the phytophagous mites in particular are still a real problem. In the present review, information on the biological activity of different plants extracts on some tetranychids as well as the side effects on phytoseiid mites, were reported

Generic Concept of the Phytoseiids (Acari: Phytoseiidae) according to Athias-Henriot

The economic importance of the Phytoseiidae motivated many scientists to work on the systematics of this family. One of them was the French acarologist Claire Athias-Henriot. In her first work, she tackled the question of supraspecific groupings within this family from an evolutionistic point of view, and suggested a system for numbering dorsal shield setae, that could be applied to both hypotrichous and holotrichous forms. She also looked for other characters, such as the ratios of the distance between the insertions of some setae on dorsal and sternal shields, the presence of macrosetae on legs, and the length/width ratio of the ventrianal shield. Following Dosse (1957; 1958) who used the shape of the insemination apparatus (spermatheca) for taxonomic purposes, she also adopted this character to define genera, initially without giving it a particular weight. Meanwhile, she also studied other gamasids, and in 1966 considered the insemination apparatus as the main character for distinguishing families of Gamasida. She distinguished the Phytoseiidae within the Laelapoidea (sic), by the type of insemination apparatus and the dorsal hypotrichy. In 1966, she adopted Lindquist and Evans (1965) chaetotactic nomenclature system in her "Contribution \ue0 l\u2019\ue9tude des Amblyseius pal\ue9arctiques (Acariens anactinotriches, Phytoseiidae)". In 1967, she advanced the hypothesis that the insemination apparatus was best for defining phylogenetic relationships because it was less subject to hereditary modifications than external body parts that are in direct contact with the environment. One year later, Athias-Henriot published an exhaustive study on the insemination apparatus of Laelapoidea stating the taxonomic importance of this structure. She also studied adenotaxy and sigillotaxy in order to find characters to define natural lineages. In 1975, she studied the dorsal organotaxy of Amblyseiini in order to define species characters. Two years later she redefined the genus Cydnodromus emphasizing both the importance of the insemination apparatus and the evolution of solenostome gv3. In 1978 and 1981, while describing respectively the new genera Dictydionotus and Pegodromus, Athias-Henriot considered the insemination apparatus and the other characters as having the same weight. In 1983, Ragusa and Athias-Henriot redescribed the genus Neoseiulus; in this case the insemination apparatus was considered as the main character for the definition of the genus, with a series of other (related) characters

Phytoseiid mites from the Basilicata region (Southern Italy): species diversity and redescription of Typhloseiulus arzakanicus (Arutunjan) with a key of the species of Typhloseiulus Chant and McMurtry 1994 (Parasitiformes: Phytoseiidae)

A survey of phytoseiid mites was carried out in the Basilicata region (Southern Italy) between 1976 and 2014 on wild and cultivated plants. A total of 38 species belonging to eleven genera and two subgenera were found on 59 plant species. The most common species was Euseius finlandicus (Oudemans) (39%) followed by Typhlodromus (Typhlodromus) exhilaratus Ragusa (32.2%), Kampimodromus aberrans (Oudemans) (27.1%), Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) cryptus (Athias-Henriot) (23.7%). Typhloseiulus arzakanicus (Arutunjan), found for first time in Italy, is redescribed here, while the male of this species is described for the first time. A dichotomic key of the species belonging to the genus Typhloseiulus is also given

Phytoseiid Mites (Parasitiformes, Phytoseiidae) of Lesvos Island (Greece) with a Description of a New Species

Έχουν γίνει δειγματοληψείες των ακάρεων της οικογένειας Phytoseiidae από διάφορα καλλιεργούμενα και αυτοφυή φυτά στο νησί της Λέσβου. Βρέθηκαν συνολικά είκοσι τρία είδη ακάρεων της παραπάνω οικογένειας. Τα πιο άφθονα ήταν τα εξής: Phytoseius jinitimus Ribaga sensu Denmark (30%), Euseius finlandicus (Oudemans) και Typhlodromus psyllakisi Swirski and Ragusa (26%), Typhlodromus athenas Swirski and Ragusa (19%), Typhlodromus cryptus Athias-Henriot, και Typhlodromus intercalaris Livshitz and Kuznetsov (15%). Περιγράφεται και σχεδιάζεται, επίσης, ένα νέο είδος, Typhlodromus sapphicus sp. n., που βρέθηκε σε φΰλλα φλαμουριάς (Tilia sp.).A survey of phytoseiid mites associated with crops and wild plants on Lesvos Island was conducted. Of twenty three species collected the most abundant were the following: Phytoseius finitimus Ribaga sensu Denmark (30%), Euseius finlandicus (Oudemans) and Typhlodromus psyllakisi Swirski and Ragusa (26%), Typhlodromus athenas Swirski and Ragusa (19%), Typhlodromus cryptus Athias-Henriot, and Typhlodromus intercalaris Livshitz and Kuznetsov (15%). A new species, Typhlodromus sapphicus sp. n., collected on Tilia sp. is also described

New records of phytoseiid mites from italy, with description of a new species and a redescription of other two (Parasitiformes, phytoseiidae)

The Italian phytoseiid fauna consists of 91 valid species. Eighteen of them were described as new species from materials collected in various Italian localities. In the present paper we report nine new records from the Italian fauna and describe the new species, Neoseiulus mediterraneus belonging to the subfamily Amblyseiinae. Complementary descriptions of two rare species, namely: Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) singularis and Typhlodromus (Typhlodromus) knisleyi, were also added

Predatory performance of two Mediterranean phytoseiid species, Typhlodromus laurentii and Typhlodromus rhenanoides fed on eggs of Panonychus citri and Tetranychus urticae

Laboratory trials were carried out to determine the predatory capacity of two endemic to the Mediterranean area phytoseiid mites Typhlodromus (Typhlodromus) laurentii Ragusa et Swirski and Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) rhenanoides Athias-Henriot (Parasitiformes Phytoseiidae) upon the eggs of the two most important tetranychids damaging Citrus orchards in Sicily: Tetranychus urticae Koch and Panonychus citri (McGregor) (Acariformes Tetranychidae). The research aimed at investigating the predatory behaviour of the phytoseiids upon the prey stage considered the most vulnerable. The predation rate of the two phytoseiid species was different on the two prey eggs, both in every observation day and for the whole observation period. Both phytoseiid species have showed a better performance on T. urticae eggs, on which the predation rate was significantly higher for T. laurentii (12.53 \ub1 0.28 preyed eggs/female/day), than for T. rhenanoides (9.71\ub10.22 preyed eggs/female/day). On the opposite, the predation upon P. citri eggs was very limited, without substantial differences between the two phytoseiids: 0.54 \ub1 0.09 and 0.21 \ub1 0.04 eggs/female/day for T. laurentii, and T. rhenanoides respectively. The prey provided has also affected the oviposition rate of the two phytoseiid species. T. laurentii was the most prolific species with 2.13 \ub1 0.08 eggs/female/day, when eggs of T. urticae were supplied as food, while upon P. citri eggs only 0.31 \ub1 0.05 eggs/female/day was laid by this predator. The oviposition rate of T. rhenanoides on T. urticae eggs (1.31 \ub1 0.07 eggs/female/day) was significantly lower, if compared to that of T. laurentii (2.13 \ub1 0.08 eggs/female/day). However, no significant difference was found when the phytoseiids preyed upon P. citri eggs

Simultaneous removal of NOx and soot particulate from diesel exhaust by in-situ catalytic generation and utilisation of N2O

One of the outstanding challenges in diesel exhaust catalysis is to integrate oxidation chemistry, soot filtration and NOx reduction in a single aftertreatment unit, while avoiding the need for fuel injection to regenerate the filter. Here we show that destruction of trapped soot can be initiated catalytically at 200 °C when its oxidation is coupled with non-selective NOx reduction (using NH3 as reductant), which acts as an in-situ source of N2O. In laboratory tests over an extended temperature range (up to 800 °C), using supported silver as a catalyst for both non-selective NOx-reduction and soot oxidation, the conversion of immobilised soot to CO2 can be resolved into four consecutive steps as the temperature rises: catalysed oxidation by N2O; non-catalysed oxidation by NO2; catalysed oxidation by O2; non-catalysed oxidation by O2. Initial engine tests indicate that the critical first step (C + N2O) can be replicated in a diesel exhaust