| 1. |
- Abdelfattah, Ahmed, et al.
(författare)
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Metabarcoding: A powerful tool to investigate microbial communities and shape future plant protection strategies
- 2018
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Ingår i: Biological control (Print). - : ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE. - 1049-9644 .- 1090-2112. ; 120
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Microorganisms are the main drivers shaping the functioning and equilibrium of all ecosystems, contributing to nutrient cycling, primary production, litter decomposition, and multi-trophic interactions. Knowledge about the microbial assemblies in specific ecological niches is integral to understanding the assemblages interact and function the function, and becomes essential when the microbiota intersects with human activities, such as protecting crops against pests and diseases. Metabarcoding has proven to be a valuable tool and has been widely used for characterizing the microbial diversity of different environments and has been utilized in many research endeavors. Here we summarize the current status of metabarcoding technologies, the advantages and challenges in utilizing this technique, and how this pioneer approach is being applied to studying plant diseases and pests, with a focus on plant protection and biological control. Current and future developments in this technology will foster a more comprehensive understanding of microbial ecology, and the development of new, innovative pest control strategies.
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| 2. |
- Bennett, Alison E., et al.
(författare)
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Fungal-Mediated Above–Belowground Interactions : The Community Approach, Stability, Evolution, Mechanisms, and Applications
- 2018
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Ingår i: Aboveground–Belowground Community Ecology. - Cham : Springer. - 9783319916132 - 9783319916149 ; , s. 85-116
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Our goal within this chapter is to review fungal-mediated above–belowground interactions in which belowground organisms influence aboveground organisms (or vice versa) primarily via a shared host plant, but to also highlight what we feel are the biggest areas for future research within this field: the community approach, stability, evolution, mechanisms, and application of these interactions. First, the community approach examines multiple simultaneously interacting species as communities, an approach that will greatly benefit from the future use of -omics techniques. Examining a greater diversity of interactions (via competition, facilitation, or predation) will likely reveal more varied outcomes that better describe patterns in nature than when individual interactions are considered. Second, we explore the stability of fungal-mediated above–belowground interactions. Given that systems can have multiple stable states influenced by multiple factors, we ask how frequently these interactions occur across stable states. Third, we present three areas in which we expect selection to influence fungal above–belowground interactions: simple (one-way) selective influences of organisms; evolutionary feedbacks and co-evolutionary arms races; and indirect versus direct selective influences. Fourth, we identify mechanisms driving the indirect interactions observed via host plants in fungal-mediated above–belowground interactions and factors influencing their context dependency. Finally, we explore potential applications of these interactions as novel biotechnologies to promote agricultural production, restore natural and degraded habitats, promote ecosystem services, and mitigate against the impacts of climate change.
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| 3. |
- Brengdahl, Martin, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic Quality Affects the Rate of Male and Female Reproductive Aging Differently in Drosophila melanogaster
- 2018
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Ingår i: American Naturalist. - : University of Chicago Press. - 0003-0147 .- 1537-5323. ; 192:6, s. 761-772
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Males and females often maximize fitness by pursuing different reproductive strategies, with males commonly assumed to benefit more from increased resource allocation into current reproduction. Such investment should trade off with somatic maintenance and may explain why males frequently live shorter than females. It also predicts that males should experience faster reproductive aging. Here we investigate whether reproductive aging and life span respond to condition differently in male and female Drosophila melanogaster, as predicted if sexual selection has shaped male and female resource-allocation patterns. We manipulate condition through genetic quality by comparing individuals inbred or outbred for a major autosome. While genetic quality had a similar effect on condition in both sexes, condition had a much larger general effect on male reproductive output than on female reproductive output, as expected when sexual selection on vigor acts more strongly on males. We find no differences in reproductive aging between the sexes in low condition, but in high condition reproductive aging is relatively faster in males. No corresponding sex-specific change was found for life span. The sex difference in reproductive aging appearing in high condition was specifically due to a decreased aging rate in females rather than any change in males. Our results suggest that females age slower than males in high condition primarily because sexual selection has favored sex differences in resource allocation under high condition, with females allocating relatively more toward somatic maintenance than males.
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| 4. |
- Campolo, Orlando, et al.
(författare)
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Acquisition and transmission of selected CTV isolates by Aphis gossypii
- 2014
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Ingår i: JOURNAL OF ASIA-PACIFIC ENTOMOLOGY. - : KOREAN SOC APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY. - 1226-8615. ; 17:3, s. 493-498
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) is a severe threat to the citrus industry. Disease symptoms and severity may vary depending on the CTV isolates. These are responsible for the decline of trees grafted on sour orange rootstock, or stem pitting on some citrus commercial cultivars regardless of rootstock. In the Calabria region (Italy), CTV was first reported on cultivars imported from other countries. However, recent observations suggested that natural spread of CTV was occurring and a study was needed to determine the epidemiological status and aphid transmission of CTV in Calabria. The role played by local A. gossypii in the spread of CIV was analyzed in the laboratory using various viral acquisition, inoculation periods with three different CTV isolates. Single aphid vectors acquired CTV after a minimum of 30 min acquisition access period (AAP) and were able to transmit the virus after a 60 min inoculation access period (IAP) to healthy plants. A minimum of four aphid vectors were needed to reach 50% transmission probability. The results suggested that the three tested strains are transmitted by A. gossypii in a semi-persistent mode. The results demonstrated that local A. gossypii population can acquire and transmit efficiently the tested virus isolates with serious implications on the virus spread. (C) 2014 Korean Society of Applied Entomology, Taiwan Entomological Society and Malaysian Plant Protection Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 5. |
- Campolo, O., et al.
(författare)
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Bees visiting flowers of Thymus longicaulis (Lamiaceae)
- 2016
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Ingår i: Plant Biosystems. - : TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD. - 1126-3504 .- 1724-5575. ; 150:6, s. 1182-1188
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to investigate the bee fauna foraging on Thymus longicaulis flowers. Samplings were conducted walking along a transect during the T. longicaulis blooming period (April-June). A total of 547 bee specimens, belonging to 40 different species, were recorded during the survey. Apis mellifera and Bombus terrestris were the most abundant visitors that foraged on thyme. Pollen grains collected on the bodies of the bees suggest that these pollinators may play an important role in the pollination of this plant.
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| 6. |
- Campolo, Orlando, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of inert dusts applied alone and in combination with sweet orange essential oil against Rhyzopertha dominica (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) and wheat microbial population
- 2014
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Ingår i: Industrial crops and products (Print). - : ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV. - 0926-6690 .- 1872-633X. ; 61, s. 361-369
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The effects of kaolin and diatomaceous earth applied alone and in combinations with sweet orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck] peel essential oil against Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) and wheat microbial populations were evaluated. Adult beetles reared on durum wheat (cv Simeto) were used to carry out the tests. Five formulations at five application rates were tested. Both insect mortality and progeny production were affected by the treatment, the application rate and the exposure time. C. sinensis essential oil showed a synergistic effect on the mortality of R. dominica, if combined with kaolin, and antagonistic effect when admixed with diatomaceous earth. Yeasts and moulds as well as total mesophilic aerobic bacteria growths were reduced by C sinensis essential oil applied alone more than the other dusts and dust-essential oil-based treatments. Kaolin admixed with C. sinensis peel essential oil might be a viable alternative to the chemical pesticides commonly used in wheat pest management. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 7. |
- Campolo, Orlando, et al.
(författare)
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Efficacy of Selected Insecticides for the Control of the California Red Scale in Southern Italy
- 2015
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Ingår i: Acta Horticulturae. - : INT SOC HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE. - 0567-7572. ; 1065, s. 1149-1156
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The California red scale (CRS), Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell), is considered one of the most important pests of citrus in the Mediterranean basin as well as in other citrus growing areas worldwide. In Southern Italy, citrus is the most widely cultivated crop and the control of the CRS relies mainly on the application of synthetic insecticides. During 2009 and 2010, selected insecticides (spirotetramat, chlorpyriphos and pyriproxyfen) were evaluated against this pest in two calabrian citrus orchards (southern Italy) under integrated pest management. Treatments were performed according to the dosage reported on the label of the commercial products. Two treatments, at 15-day interval, were performed. Control plots were sprayed with water only. Efficacy was assessed 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after the first treatment and at the harvest. In both trials, spirotetramat showed the highest levels of efficacy against CRS and other citrus pests (citrus leafminer, and aphids) that were adequately controlled until the harvest.
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| 8. |
- Campolo, Orlando, et al.
(författare)
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Field efficacy of two organic acids against Varroa destructor
- 2017
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Ingår i: Entomologia generalis. - : E SCHWEIZERBARTSCHE VERLAGSBUCHHANDLUNG. - 0171-8177. ; 36:3, s. 251-260
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The parasitization of honeybees by Varroa destructor represents a serious limiting factor for beekeeping. The past and current widespread use of synthetic acaricides, such as fluvalinate and coumaphos, results in the onset of pest resistance, therefore research efforts focused on the use of alternative solutions to control the population of this parasitic mite. In the present study, the efficacy of two formulates containing Oxalic Acid (OA) or Formic Acid (FA) was evaluated in real field conditions. Our results demonstrated the effectiveness of the OA formulate in controlling more than 90% of V. destructor phoretic population. On the other hand, FA shown an efficacy of 60% on phoretic mites. A similar pattern was highlighted on brood and adult bees’ infestation. The OA formulate showed a proper efficacy, highlighting its potential as alternative to chemical substances in holding the increase of V. destructor during a late summer treatment.
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| 9. |
- Campolo, Orlando, et al.
(författare)
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Fumigant bioactivity of five Citrus essential oils against Tribolium confusum
- 2014
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Ingår i: Phytoparasitica. - : SPRINGER. - 0334-2123 .- 1876-7184. ; 42:2, s. 223-233
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During the past decades, the huge use of pesticides caused several environmental problems, so research investigations moved to find a series of compounds with selective toxicity, of a biodegradable and environment-friendly nature, maintaining a positive action in crop and stored products protection. In this perspective, interesting results in the control of pests and fungal pathogens were obtained using essential oils, which are compounds produced by many species of plants as secondary metabolites. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the fumigant activity of five Citrus essential oils against the confused flour beetle Tribolium confusum Du Val, planning a possible employment in the mill industry. The fumigant effectiveness was evaluated 24, 48, 72 hours and 7 days after the start of exposure and each essential oil was analyzed by means of GC and GC/MS. Further evaluations about the toxicity of these compounds were made by partially filling the glass vials with food matrix, in order to assess the possible interference of this matter on the active compounds. The data obtained indicated that, at a low level of fumigant concentration, essential oils can effectively control stored product pests; in the presence of debris, like flour, the efficacy decreased. Plant extracts caused also increased mortality levels after the end of fumigation. The results obtained from this experimentation confirm the efficacy of essential oils in pest control and, in particular, against stored product pests.
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| 10. |
- Campolo, Orlando, et al.
(författare)
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Interaction between ants and the Mediterranean fruit fly: New insights for biological control
- 2015
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Ingår i: Biological control (Print). - : ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE. - 1049-9644 .- 1090-2112. ; 90, s. 120-127
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During recent years, the positive role of ants as biological control agents in agro-ecosystems has gained growing interest. We investigated the predatory relationship between Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and the ant Tapinoma nigerrimum (Nylander), commonly widespread in the Mediterranean area. Additionally we investigated some bio-ethological aspects of C. capitata larvae that could be relevant timing factors for predation. Field observations highlighted that C. capitata larvae were preyed on by ants, and laboratory assays suggested that movement of medfly larvae, as well as olfactory cues, affected prey location by T. nigerrimum. Further observations on the circadian activity of C. capitata suggest that mature larvae leave the fruit to pupate in the soil mainly in the early morning, and they can bury faster in moistened soil. These ecological aspects are discussed in the context of sustainable agriculture. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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