Abstract
Megaplatypus mutatus (Chapuis) (=Platypus mutatus), an ambrosia beetle native to South America, attacks standing live trees of a wide range of forest and fruit tree species, and it is particularly damaging to commercial poplar plantations. In 2000, M. mutatus was observed for the first time in Italy, in the province of Caserta, near Naples. The development of a pheromone-based monitoring system, for detecting the spread and for managing M. mutatus infestations, is an important goal for both European and South American control and surveillance programs. Using a three component pheromone blend developed in Argentina into commercial funnel traps we were able to asses the level of dispersion of this pest in the Italian Campania region. Insects were captured in all the plantations suspected of being infested based on the presence of active parental and larval galleries. We also provide the first report of the attack followed by completion of the life cycle of M. mutatus in European hazelnut, Corylus avellana L. (Betulaceae), an important nut species native to Europe and Western Asia.
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Acknowledgments
This study received financial support by the Secretary of Science and Technology (SECYT) of Argentina and the Italian Ministry of External Affairs (MAE) through an International Cooperation Program, and from the Servizio Fitosanitario Regionale Se.S.I.R.C.A. Napoli, Regione Campania. We are very grateful to Dr Rene Alfaro from the Canadian Forest Service for his initiatory work in the pheromone detection of M. mutatus and the editing of the manuscript, and the phytosanitary inspectors Eduardo Ucciero, Patrizia Nappa, Vincenzo Orologialo, Tommaso Brosco, Rhino Melenghi, Guiseppe Salzillo, Pasquale Viola, Domenico Esposito and Francesco Del Vecchio for their support in field work. PG had a doctoral grant from the University of San Martin. PGA and EZ are members of the Consejo Nacional Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and of University of San Martin (UNSAM).
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Gonzalez-Audino, P., Griffo, R., Gatti, P. et al. Pheromone detection of the introduced forest pest Megaplatypus mutatus (=Platypus mutatus) (Chapuis) (Platypodinae, Curculionidae) in Italy. Agroforest Syst 87, 109–115 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-012-9527-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-012-9527-3