10 Garonna EU__

REDIA, 101, 2018: 73-79 http://dx.doi.org/10.19263/REDIA-101.18.10 ANTONIO PIETRO GARONNA1 - UMBERTO BERNARDO2 LIBERATA GUALTIERI2 - STEFANIA LAUDONIA1 - FRANCESCO NUGNES2 THE PRESENT PEST STATUS OF EUCALYPTUS SAP-SUCKERS AND GALL WASPS IN CAMPANIA (ITALY) (1) (+) Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II: Dipartimento di Agraria, Sezione di Biologia e Protezione dei sistemi agricoli e forestali (BiPAF), Via Università 100, 80055, Portici, Italy; E-mail: [email protected] (2) CNR: Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante (IPSP), Via Università 133, 80055, Portici, Italy. Garonna A.P., Bernardo U., Gualtieri L., Laudonia S., Nugnes F. – The present pest status of Eucalyptus sap-suckers and gall wasps in Campania Sap-suckers and gall wasps may be a severe phytosanitary problem for several Eucalyptus species, particularly for the red gum E. camaldulensis, the most widely cultivated Australian native tree species worldwide. This paper reviewed the harmfulness of some of these invasive pests established in Campania, and provides new information about their pest status. KEY WORDS: Red gum, bronze bug, Aphalaridae, Eulophidae, biological control. Sap-suckers can be a serious phytosanitary problem of ping generations) led to investigations on natural control Eucalyptus species worldwide. During the last 30 years 4 realized by indigenous entomophagous species. Biological allochthonous species of Aphalaridae (Psylloidea) and one observations highli ghted the limited role of generalist species of Thaumastocoridae living on Myrtaceae and predators like anthocorids and ladybirds (Coc cinella infesting mainly Eucalyptus spp. have been accidentally septempunctata, Adalia spp., Oenopia sp., Scymnus sp., introduced in Italy. Chronologically listed the involved Chilocorus bipustulatus), chrysopids (Chrysopa sp.), psyllids are, Ctenarytaina eucalypti (Maskell), Ctena - hoverflies larvae and predatory wasps (Vespula sp.) rytaina spatulata Taylor, Blastopsylla occidentalis Taylor, (LAUDONIA and GARONNA, 2010). Interestingly the wasps and Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore, with the last two fed on honeydew and also on nymphal stages of the psyllid species widespread in Campania. In addition, the bronze raising the lerp coverings. Among all recorded predatory bug, Thaumastocoris peregrinus Carpintero & Dellapé, species Anthocoris nemoralis Fabricius (Hemiptera: must be added as the last established pest in the region Anthocoridae) (Fig. I, 3), resulted the most efficient, (LAUDONIA and SASSO, 2012). preying adults and all preimaginal stages (GARONNA et al., Among the psyllids, G. brimblecombei, which is com - 2011). monly known as red gum lerp psyllid, is easily recognized The accidental introduction of the main parasitic species by the nymphal stages protected by the conical crystalline of the lerp psyllid in the Mediterranean basin, Psyl - white coverings (lerps) of secreted wax mixed with excre - laephagus bliteus Riek (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), ted honeydew (Fig. I, 1). The speed of its world invasion changed the biological control scenario. The encyrtid, has few precedents. Native to Australia, the species is today already employed with success in biological control (BC) considered a cosmopolitan pest and is recorded in 24 programmes in California, Brazil, Mexico e Chile, was first countries (EPPO, 2017). The first Italian record dated back recorded in Campania during fall 2012 (Fig. I, 4). Nowa - to 2010, when huge populations were found spread over a days the parasitoid controls the lerp psyllid in large part of large territory in Campania (LAUDONIA and GARONNA, the Italian territory. A recently published study about the 2010). The preferred host of G. brim blecombei is E. host-parasitoid interaction showed that P. bliteus, even with camaldulensis, largely distributed in the Mediterranean low-density population of its own host, is strictly influenced basin, where it is used as hardwood species in forestry and by environmental factors (LAUDONIA et al., 2013). In fact, as ornamental species in urban greenery. The lerp psyllid population dynamics of host and parasitoid is affected by (Fig. I, 2) became in few years a harmful pest detrimental to the seasonal trend of the climate, mainly during summer red gum trees with strong economic impact also involving where high temperatures and limited rainfall can affect both the beekeeping sector. The heavy environmental and species. Predictive modelling applied to this system economic impact of chemical control (e.g. high cost and highlighted a potential reduction of G. brim blecombei low effectiveness of pesticide applications due to overlap - population density up to 64% due to P. bliteus activity (MARGIOTTA et al., 2017). In this scenario the pest species will persist in the environment reaching sometimes harmful densities detrimental to E. camal dulensis. B. occidentalis, a species with negligible phytosanitary 1 Original scientific contribution presented and discussed at the National Symposium on “Health status of Eucalyptus plantations in importance in Campania, preferably infests the apical trait Italy”, Oristano (Centro Congressi Hotel Anfora, Tramatza) - Italy, of twigs. The eggs of the species can be found on shoots, March 24-25, 2017. leaf axils, small branches and young leaves. The pre- – Received 15 February 2018 Accepted 9 April 2018 2 1 3 500 μm 4 5 1 mm 6 7 500 μm 500 μm 8 9 Fig. I – 1, colony of Glycaspis brimblecombei; 2, adult of lerp psyllid; 3, Anthocoris nemoralis feeding on lerp psyllids; 4, pupa of Psyllaephagus bliteus; 5, adult of Thaumastocoris peregrinus; 6, Leptocybe invasa galls on stem and petiole of Eucalyptus sp.; 7, L. invasa galls on eucalypt leaf main nerve; 8, female of L. invasa; 9, female of Quadrastichus mendeli. THE PRESENT PEST STATUS OF EUCALYPTUS SAP-SUCKERS AND GALL WASPS IN CAMPANIA (ITALY) 75 imaginal stages are covered only by fluffy whitish wax and same leaf. The life cycle is rather short, approximately 35 produce powdery globules of honeydew. Since its discovery days in laboratory conditions (20 days at 17-20°C), and in in Campania (LAUDONIA, 2006) this psyllid has always been the same condition, a female can lay approximately 60 eggs recorded at low density throughout the region. Scarce during its lifespan. However, it is difficult to study the timing natural control is carried out by the same predatory species and phenology of population fluctuations in the field attacking the lerp psyllid. Up to now no parasitoid of B. (NOACK and ROSE, 2007; JACOBS and NESER, 2005; BOUVET occidentalis has been collected. and VACCARO, 2007). Data collected in Italy confirm that T. The bronze bug, T. peregrinus (Fig. I, 5), is native to peregrinus has not any diapause period remaining active Australia, where it feeds on a wide range of Eucalyptus during all seasons, even though sometimes in very low species (CARPINTERO and DELLAPÉ, 2006; NOACK et al., numbers (NADEL et al., 2015; LAUDONIA et al., 2016). 2011; SOLIMAN et al., 2012; MUTITU et al., 2013). It is also After a first steady trend during January-April 2015, at an invasive species that has spread to South Africa and very low density (<0.05 specimens/leaf), a significant Réunion (JACOBS and NESER, 2005; STREITO et al., 2016), increase of the bronze bug population has been recorded in South and Nord America (NOACK and COVIELLA, 2006; Campania from April to October (Fig. II). In particular, an WILCKEN et al., 2010; MARTÍNEZ and BIANCHI, 2010; IDE et exponential growth from the end of August of the same year al., 2011; JIMÉNEZ QUIROZ et al., 2016; ARAKELIAN, 2016) has been observed (LAUDONIA et al., 2016). Finally, it can and New Zealand (SOPOW and GEORGE, 2012). T. peregrinus, be asserted that, at our latitudes and in field, the species is to date the only species belonging to thaumastocorids in the limited by unfavourable temperatures below 11 °C and Fauna of Europe, has been reported for the first time for the above 30 °C (LAUDONIA et al., 2016). Mediterranean basin in Italy (LAUDONIA and SASSO, 2012). In some countries the chemical control option for T. Thereafter, the bronze bug has established in Portugal peregrinus is Imidacloprid, with systemic trunk injection (GARCIA et al., 2013), Spain (VIVAS et al., 2015), Israel also. Chemical control is not effective and at the same time (NOVOSELSKY and FREIBERG, 2016) and Albania (VAN DER unfriendly to the environment; moreover, it is both time HEYDEN, 2017). T. peregrinus causes leaf discoloration consuming and costly (WILCKEN et al., 2010; ZANUNCIO et (bronzing, reddening, yellowing), early senescence and al., 2010). In Italy, like in other areas of the world, there are stunted growth. Heavy infestations can lead to severe no registered chemical options against T. peregrinus. Until defoliation, branch dieback, and in some cases, tree mortality now, no European indigenous enemy has been reported (LAUDONIA and SASSO, 2012). The adults are light brown associated to the Bronze bug. In the native area, the most with a flattened body (2-3.5 mm). Eggs are typical dark, oval effective natural enemy is the egg parasitoid Cleruchoides (0.5 mm long - 0.2 mm wide) with a sculptured chorion noackae Lin and Huber (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) (LIN et often laid in clusters on leaves and twigs. The eggs, the 5 al., 2007). Host specificity tests established that C. noackae pre-imaginal stages and the adults can be present on the is able to parasitize other species of Thaumastocoridae, but Fig. II – Mean values of T. peregrinus specimens per sampled leaf in Italy related to temperature (°C). 76 A.P. GARONNA ET AL. REDIA, Vol. 101, 2018 no attacks against potential hosts outside of this family have and becoming a serious pest for eucalypt plantations in the been recorded. This specificity allowed the release of C. world (NUGNES et al., 2015; MENDEL et al., 2004). noackae as a biological control agent of the Bronze bug in L. invasa attacks tissues both of the stems and the leaf Chile, Brazil and South Africa (NYEKO, 2011; BARBOSA et main nerve and petioles of new shoots where it lays eggs al., 2017). So far, data on effectiveness of these realized inducing the formation of typical bump-shaped galls (Fig.

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