Search results for " Entomologia"
showing 10 items of 590 documents
Behavioral responses of Hyalesthes obsoletus to host-plant volatiles cues
2016
The polyphagous planthopper Hyalesthes obsoletus Signoret is considered to be the principal vector of stolbur phytoplasma, which is associated with yellow diseases of grapevine. To explore the possibility of developing novel control strategies, the behavioral responses to six synthetic mixtures and nine single compounds, previously identified from the headspace of Vitex agnus-castus L. (chaste tree) and Urtica dioica L. (nettle), were investigated in Y-tube bioassays. Choice tests revealed differences in the behavioral responses of males and females to the volatiles that they were exposed to. Males were attracted to a mixture containing (E)-β-caryophyllene, 1,8-cineole, (E,E)-α-farnesene, (…
Members of the WRKY gene family are upregulated in Canary palms attacked by Red Palm Weevil
2018
The Red Palm Weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, is one of the major pests affecting several palm species all around the world. The aim of this work was to identify palm genes that are responsive to RPW infestations as a valuable diagnostic tool to detect the insect attack. We have analysed a total of 15 genes that were divided in two subsets: (1) 7 genes previously linked with RPW attacks, but not involved in biotic stress responses, and (2) 8 genes encoding members of the WRKY family, a class of transcription factors well-known to be linked with both abiotic and biotic stress responses. The analysis was conducted on 4-year-old Canary palms comparing uninfested plants and infested pla…
Evaluation of Brassicaceae seedlings as trap plants for Bagrada hilaris Burmeister in Caper bush cultivations
2020
The caper bush, Capparis spinosa (Brassicales: Capparaceae), is intensively grown on Pantelleria Island (Trapani, Sicily, Sicilian channel) where it has been granted protected geographical indication (PGI) by the EU. On this island, Bagrada hilaris, a stink bug native of Asia and Africa, is the major pest of caper crops. Recent studies have shown the attraction of B. hilaris to volatiles of brassicaceous plants at the seedling stage. The objective of this study was to evaluate three cotyledon-stage seedlings of host plants, Brassica oleracea var. botrytis (cauliflower), Eruca sativa (rocket) and Brassica carinata (Abyssinian cabbage), as potential trap plants for B. hilaris. The relative pr…
Semiochemical exploitation of host-associated cues by seven Melittobia parasitoid species : Behavioral and phylogenetic implications
2018
Chemical compounds (infochemicals or semiochemicals) play an important role both in intra-specific and inter-specific communication. For example, chemical cues appear to play a key role in the host selection process adopted by insect parasitoids. In recent years significant advances have been made in order to understand the chemical ecology of insect parasitoids. However, little information is available about the evolution of semiochemical use in the host location process of insect parasitoids. Here we investigated the strategy adopted by seven closely related parasitoid species in the genus Melittobia when foraging for four different suitable hosts. By using an integrated approach that com…
Genetic variation in the behavioural mechanisms involved in the response of the egg parasitoid Trissolcus brochymenae to contact chemical cues left b…
2021
International audience; 1. The ability of parasitoid females to perceive chemical traces left by theirhosts is of utmost importance in the host location process. The behaviours involved insuch ability have thus most likely been promoted by natural selection in the course ofthe evolutionary time. For this to happen, however, there must be signicant geneticvariation in natural populations on which natural selection could act.2. Using the isofemale line method and motion analysis, we detected signicantintra-population genetic variation for several walking behaviour traits of the eggparasitoid Trissolcus brochymenae (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) females responding tochemical traces left by its h…
New data and taxa for Orthoptera Tettigoniidae and Acrididae from tropical Africa.
2017
The results of a long-term study on the Orthoptera collected in tropical Africa and preserved in different European natural history museums are reported. Horatosphaga bazeletae n. sp. is described from South Africa, Dapanera falxcercata n. sp. from Cameroon, Eurycorypha specularia n. sp. from Zambia (Tettigoniidae Phaneropterinae), and Eucoptacra popovi n. sp. (Acrididae Coptacrinae) from the Gabon. Furthermore, the new genus Pigalua n. gen. is described for Eulioptera insularis Ragge, 1980 from Annobón Is. (Equatorial Guinea). The new tribe Kevaniellini n. trib. is proposed for Kevaniella bipunctata Chopard, 1954. Besides, the hitherto unknown males of Eurycorypha flavescens (Walker, 1869)…
The gut microbiota of the wood-feeding termite Reticulitermes lucifugus (Isoptera; Rhinotermitidae)
2016
Termite gut is host to a complex microbial community consisting of prokaryotes, and in some cases flagellates, responsible for the degradation of lignocellulosic material. Here we report data concerning the analysis of the gut microbiota of Reticulitermes lucifugus (Rossi), a lower termite species that lives in underground environments and is widespread in Italy, where it causes damage to wood structures of historical and artistic monuments. A 16S rRNA gene clone library revealed that the R. lucifugus gut is colonized by members of five phyla in the domain Bacteria: Firmicutes (49 % of clones), Proteobacteria (24 %), Spirochaetes (14 %), the candidatus TG1 phylum (12 %), and Bacteroidetes (…
Parasitic wasp-associated symbiont affects plant-mediated species interactions between herbivores
2018
Abstract Microbial mutualistic symbiosis is increasingly recognised as a hidden driving force in the ecology of plant–insect interactions. Although plant-associated and herbivore-associated symbionts clearly affect interactions between plants and herbivores, the effects of symbionts associated with higher trophic levels has been largely overlooked. At the third-trophic level, parasitic wasps are a common group of insects that can inject symbiotic viruses (polydnaviruses) and venom into their herbivorous hosts to support parasitoid offspring development. Here, we show that such third-trophic level symbionts act in combination with venom to affect plant-mediated interactions by reducing colon…
Synthesis and biofilm formation reduction of pyrazole-4-carboxamide derivatives in some Staphylococcus aureus strains
2016
The ability of several N-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide derivatives and other pyrazoles opportunely modified at the positions 3, 4 and 5, to reduce the formation of the biofilm in some Staphylococcus aureus strains (ATCC 29213, ATCC 25923 and ATCC 6538) were investigated. All the tested compounds were able, although to a different extent, to reduce the biofilm formation of the three bacterial strains considered. Among these, the 1-(2,5-dichlorophenyl)-5-methyl-N-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide 14 resulted as the best inhibitor of biofilm formation showing an IC50 ranging from 2.3 to 32 μM, against all the three strains of S. aureus. Compound 14 also shows a good protective effect in vivo…
Assessment of genetically modified maize NK603 x MON810 for renewal of authorisation under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 (application EFSA‐GMO‐RX‐007)
2018
Efsa Panel On Genetically Modified Organisms (gmo)Scientific opinionRequestor:European Commission (DG SANTE)Question number:EFSA-Q-2017-00028; Following the submission of application EFSA-GMO-RX-007 under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 from Monsanto, the Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms of the European Food Safety Authority (GMO Panel) was asked to deliver a scientific risk assessment on the data submitted in the context of the renewal of authorisation application of the herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant genetically modified maize NK603 x MON810. The data received in the context of this renewal application contained post-market environmental monitoring reports, a systematic searc…