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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Agriculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 August 2021) | Viewed by 14555

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Salvatore Guarino

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Guest Editor

Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources (IBBR), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Corso Calatafimi 414, 90129 Palermo, Italy
Interests: Chemical Ecology of Insect Species, Insect-Plant Interactions, Stored Product Pests, Trapping and Sampling, Heteroptera

Prof. Dr. Ezio Peri

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Guest Editor

Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, Universitá degli Studi di Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
Interests: General and Applied Entomology; Biological Control; Chemical Ecology; Multitrophic Interactions; Herbivore-induced Plant Volatiles

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays there is a rising interest on improving the sustainability of agriculture and stored products management by reducing dependence on pesticides and other chemical inputs. In this context, reliable and affordable tools for monitoring and control dangerous species are urgent to implement the Integrated Pest Management (IPM), particularly in those environments in which chemical control is difficult or strictly forbidden. This Special Issue will focus on recent progress and applications toward the inclusion of pesticide free techniques, and the last advances on for the management of dangerous insect species in agriculture, forestry and warehouse environments that might be included in IPM strategies and organic farming.

We welcome original articles focusing on:

Semiochemicals for the monitoring and control of insects species
Conventional and unconventional breeding approaches to develop tolerant/resistant plants and rootstock
Biological control
Trap cropping
Essential oils as alternative to synthetic insecticides

Dr. Salvatore Guarino
Prof. Ezio Peri
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

pheromones
attractant
resistant/ tolerant plant
biological control
trap crops
essential oils

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

34 pages, 13488 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Alternative Use of the Insecticide Diofenolan on Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae): A Morphological and Ultrastructural Investigation

by Marco Pezzi, Chiara Scapoli, Maria Gabriella Marchetti, Milvia Chicca, Stjepan Krčmar, Marilena Leis and Teresa Bonacci

Sustainability 2021, 13(18), 10122; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su131810122 - 09 Sep 2021

Viewed by 1836

Abstract

Musca domestica Linnaeus (Diptera: Muscidae), a relevant synanthropic pest, is the most frequent dipteran species in farms and waste landfills. Insect Growth Regulators (IGR), insecticides with species-specific toxicity and low health and environmental impact, are known to act mostly on larval stages but may induce sterility in adults. We investigated the effects of diofenolan, an IGR analogue of juvenile hormone, on M. domestica, with special attention to female reproductive ability (egg-laying and hatching), and ovarian and ovariole morphology, using optical and transmission electron microscopy. We also tested the interactions between diofenolan and the activity of corpora allata, endocrine gland producing juvenile hormone required for ovarian development, by morphological and ultrastructural investigations. The results show that diofenolan negatively affects the reproductive ability of M. domestica, causing extensive morphological alterations in ovaries and ovarioles. In treated females, ovarioles showed nine different morphotypes that could be arranged into three “transformation paths”, and these alterations were able to reduce egg-laying. The effects of diofenolan on corpora allata, investigated at the optical and ultrastructural level in M. domestica, showed extensive alterations of the nuclei, cytoplasms, and mitochondria, strongly suggesting a rapid transition of the gland from inactivity to degeneration. The sterilizing effects of diofenolan in M. domestica are very interesting for integrated pest management programs within sustainable defence strategies against this relevant and annoying pest. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Defense Strategies for Pest Management)

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13 pages, 302 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Essential Oil-Based Nano-Biopesticides: Formulation and Bioactivity against the Confused Flour Beetle Tribolium confusum

by Davide Palermo, Giulia Giunti, Francesca Laudani, Vincenzo Palmeri and Orlando Campolo

Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9746; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13179746 - 30 Aug 2021

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 3875

Abstract

Post-harvest pest control can rely on few approved pesticides and tools; hence, there is a rising interest in new sustainable, eco-friendly approaches. In this study, eight commercial essential oils (EOs) (anise Pimpinella anisum, artemisia Artemisia vulgaris, fennel Foenicum vulgare, garlic Allium sativum, lavender Lavandula angustifolia, mint Mentha piperita, rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis, and sage Salvia officinalis) were selected for their bioactivity and commercial availability, and then formulated in nano-emulsions. Repellency and acute toxicity of the developed nano-formulations were tested against a key stored product pest, Tribolium confusum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). All the developed nano-emulsions presented optimal physical characteristics (droplet dimension = 95.01–144.30 nm; PDI = 0.146–0.248). All the formulations were repellent over time tested against adult beetles, in area preference bioassays. The best repellent was the anise EO-based formulation (RC₅₀ = 0.033 mg). Mortality values from cold aerosol trials showed that the majority of tested EOs caused immediate acute toxicity, and garlic EO nano-emulsion caused the highest mortality of T. confusum adults (LC₅₀ = 0.486 mg/L of air). EO-based nano-insecticides, used as cold aerosol and gel, are promising control methods against stored product pests, which can be integrated and combined with other sustainable biorational approaches. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Defense Strategies for Pest Management)

13 pages, 12524 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reduction in Insect Attachment Caused by Different Nanomaterials Used as Particle Films (Kaolin, Zeolite, Calcium Carbonate)

by Gianandrea Salerno, Manuela Rebora, Silvana Piersanti, Valerio Saitta, Alexander Kovalev, Elena Gorb and Stanislav Gorb

Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8250; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13158250 - 23 Jul 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2384

Abstract

In the present investigation, we compared the reduction in attachment ability of the southern green stinkbug Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) to glass induced by three different nanoparticle (kaolin, zeolite, and calcium carbonate) films. Using traction force experiments, behavioral experiments, and scanning electron microscopy observations, we analyzed the insect attachment ability and linear speed on untreated and treated glass with the three particle films. The three nanomaterials strongly reduced insect attachment ability mainly owing to contamination of attachment pads. The ability to reduce insect attachment was different for the three tested particle films: kaolin and zeolite induced a significantly higher reduction in N. viridula safety factor than calcium carbonate. The coating of the surface was more uniform and compact in kaolin and zeolite compared to calcium carbonate particle film. Moreover, kaolin and zeolite particles can more readily adhere to N. viridula attachment devices, whereas calcium carbonate particles appeared less adherent to the cuticular surface compared to the two aluminosilicate (kaolin and zeolite) particles. Only the application of kaolin reduced insect linear speed during locomotion. Nanoparticle films have a great potential to reduce insect attachment ability and represent a good alternative to the use of insecticides for the control of pentatomid bugs and other pest insects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Defense Strategies for Pest Management)

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10 pages, 1678 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Brassicaceae Seedlings as Trap Plants for Bagrada Hilaris Burmeister in Caper Bush Cultivations

by Mokhtar Abdulsattar Arif, Salvatore Guarino, Ezio Peri and Stefano Colazza

Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6361; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12166361 - 07 Aug 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2179

Abstract

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 preferences of these species were first evaluated in laboratory and field experiments, carried out during summer when the level of B. hilaris infestation was the highest. Behavioral bioassays in the laboratory conditions showed that adults of B. hilaris preferred to orient toward seedlings of B. oleracea and E. sativa over B. carinata. Field experiments confirmed these results. Then seedlings were tested in trap plant trials, by sowing them in artificial pots formed with aluminum trays and placing them in caper fields infested with B. hilaris. Results showed that E. sativa and B. oleracea diverted hundreds of B. hilaris individuals from the capers to these sources of attraction. Overall, these results suggest that B. oleracea and E. sativa seedlings used as lure inside traps or as trap plants may be a useful tool in the management of B. hilaris populations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Defense Strategies for Pest Management)

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12 pages, 2577 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification of the Red-Necked Longhorn Beetle Aromia bungii (Faldermann, 1835) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) with Real-Time PCR on Frass

by Domenico Rizzo, Andrea Taddei, Daniele Da Lio, Francesco Nugnes, Eleonora Barra, Luciana Stefani, Linda Bartolini, Raffaele V. Griffo, Paola Spigno, Lucia Cozzolino, Elisabetta Rossi and Antonio P. Garonna

Sustainability 2020, 12(15), 6041; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12156041 - 28 Jul 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3536

Abstract

Aromia bungii (Faldermann, 1835) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), the red-necked longhorn beetle is native to eastern Asia, where it is an important wood-borer of fruit and ornamental species of the genus Prunus. A. bungii is a quarantine pest in the European Union, following its accidental introduction and establishment in Germany and Italy, and is currently included in the list of priority pests. To confirm its infestations in outbreak areas, adult or larval specimens are needed to perform morphological or molecular analyses. The presence of A. bungii larvae inside the attacked trees makes the collection of specimens particularly difficult. Thus, we present two diagnostic protocols based on frass analysis with real-time PCR (probe and SYBR Green). The results obtained show that a non-invasive approach for detecting the presence of this harmful invasive pest can be a reliable and accurate alternative diagnostic tool in phytosanitary surveys, as well as to outline a sustainable pest management strategy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Defense Strategies for Pest Management)

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