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Insects
Special Issues
Resilient Tree Nut Agroecosystems under Changing Climate
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Resilient Tree Nut Agroecosystems under Changing Climate

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Pest and Vector Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2025) | Viewed by 4880

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Pascal Aigbedion-Atalor

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Daniel K. Inouye US Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Hilo, HI, USA
Interests: entomology; ecology; invasive species; biological control; IPM; biodiversity and conservation
Dr. Angelita Acebes-Doria

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Daniel K. Inouye US Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Hilo, HI, USA
Interests: insect ecology; tree nut pest; macadamia; IPM; applied entomology
Prof. Dr. Martin Hill

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre for Biological Control, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa
Interests: invasive weeds; invasive pests; biological control; IPM; ecology; biodiversity and conservation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Although the production of tree nuts such as macadamia nuts, almond, chestnuts, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, and Queensland nuts is increasing globally, several invasive and native pests of these nuts are currently threatening their production, and changing climate is exacerbating their dispersal and damage. Therefore, appropriate environmentally friendly and sustainable management responses such as predictive models of their future ecological suitable niches, biocontrol strategies, encompassing classical, augmentation, and conservation biocontrol and other IPM approaches, including semiochemical-dependent control approaches such as push–pull and the use of kairomones, are essential for managing these pests. This Special Issue invites researchers to submit original and review articles on any aspects of the ecology and management options for the tree nut pests.

Dr. Pascal Aigbedion-Atalor
Dr. Angelita Acebes-Doria
Prof. Dr. Martin Hill
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • tree nut pests
  • IPM
  • climate change
  • integrated pest management
  • resilient agroecosystems

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 272 KiB  
Article
Exploiting Trap Type and Color for Monitoring Macadamia Felted Coccid Acanthococcus ironsidei (Williams) and Associated Parasitic Wasps in Macadamia Orchards in Hawai’i
by Angelita L. Acebes-Doria and Pascal O. Aigbedion-Atalor
Insects 2025, 16(2), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16020149 - 2 Feb 2025
Viewed by 641
Abstract
Acanthococcus ironsidei (Williams) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) is an invasive pest of macadamia, Macadamia integrifolia, in Hawai’i, causing death to macadamia trees and decreased nut productivity. Monitoring relies on wrapping double-sided sticky tapes over tree branches to trap dispersing crawlers (i.e., mobile immature stage), [...] Read more.
Acanthococcus ironsidei (Williams) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) is an invasive pest of macadamia, Macadamia integrifolia, in Hawai’i, causing death to macadamia trees and decreased nut productivity. Monitoring relies on wrapping double-sided sticky tapes over tree branches to trap dispersing crawlers (i.e., mobile immature stage), but this is tedious for growers, especially in large orchards. From September to November 2022 and December 2022 to February 2023, at two commercial macadamia orchards on Hawai’i Island, the use of colored sticky cards was assessed for improving the monitoring of A. ironsidei and to investigate the Hymenopteran parasitoid complex that inhabits macadamia canopies. At each study site, four different colored sticky cards (yellow, lime green, dark green, and white) were placed on the lower canopy of five trees, and on each tree, a transparent double-sided sticky tape was deployed. At bi-weekly intervals, the sticky cards were replaced and re-randomized on each tree, and the double-sided sticky tapes were replaced. The results showed that the sticky cards captured both A. ironsidei crawlers and (winged) male adults, while the double-sided sticky tapes captured only crawlers. The trap color did not have significant effects on the captures of A. ironsidei male adults at the sites, while the captures of crawlers on sticky cards were lowest on the dark green sticky traps at one site. The captures of A. ironsidei adult males on white sticky traps were generally correlated with the number of crawlers captured on the double-sided sticky tapes. The parasitoid complex captured had disparities in the attraction to color; however, the yellow, lime green and dark green colors were seemingly more effective for monitoring Encarsia lounsburyi (Berlese & Paoli), a reported parasitoid of A. ironsidei. These results have useful practical implications for improved monitoring of A. ironsidei crawlers, male adults and associated natural enemies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resilient Tree Nut Agroecosystems under Changing Climate)
13 pages, 1659 KiB  
Article
Effects of Temperature and Extraguild Prey Density on Intraguild Predation of Coccinella septempunctata and Harmonia axyridis
by Xia Wen and Guizhen Gao
Insects 2025, 16(1), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16010062 - 10 Jan 2025
Viewed by 656
Abstract
The ladybirds Coccinella septempunctata and Harmonia axyridis are important biocontrol agents for the small walnut aphid Chromaphis juglandicola, a key walnut pest. C. juglandicola outbreaks occur in walnut orchards, and walnut yields have declined. Intraguild predation (IGP) is prevalent among natural enemies [...] Read more.
The ladybirds Coccinella septempunctata and Harmonia axyridis are important biocontrol agents for the small walnut aphid Chromaphis juglandicola, a key walnut pest. C. juglandicola outbreaks occur in walnut orchards, and walnut yields have declined. Intraguild predation (IGP) is prevalent among natural enemies that coexist in shared habitats and prey upon the same extraguild prey. We designed laboratory experiments to evaluate the potential for IGP between these two ladybirds at different temperatures and extraguild (EG) prey densities, and the ability of IGP to control EG prey under different conditions. We measured IGP rates in first instar larvae, female adults, and male adults (both starved for 24 h) in the vulnerable immature life stages of two ladybird eggs. Intraguild (IG) prey (H. axyridis eggs or C. septempunctata eggs) and EG prey (C. juglandicola) consumption were tallied after 24 h. Temperature and EG prey density influenced IGP rates, with temperature contributing the most to the variance. IGP increased with increasing temperature (15–35 °C), with both factors interactively influencing the EG prey consumption rate and exhibiting highly significant effects. EG prey consumption increased with temperature and density. This research provides theoretical support for the rational use of H. axyridis and C. septempunctata in the joint biological control of C. juglandicola Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resilient Tree Nut Agroecosystems under Changing Climate)
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11 pages, 2300 KiB  
Article
The Flight Pattern of Navel Orangeworm (Amyelois transitella Walker) 2008–2023 in California Pistachio
by Joel Philip Siegel
Insects 2024, 15(12), 919; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15120919 - 25 Nov 2024
Viewed by 758
Abstract
The navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella, is the principal pest of pistachio and almond in California. The timing of the insecticide application is challenging because there is no model that predicts when pistachio is vulnerable to infestation. Sixteen years of pistachio flight data [...] Read more.
The navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella, is the principal pest of pistachio and almond in California. The timing of the insecticide application is challenging because there is no model that predicts when pistachio is vulnerable to infestation. Sixteen years of pistachio flight data from Madera and Fresno counties (541,892 adults) were analyzed to determine if there was a consistent starting point each year for flights that overlap pistachio vulnerability. This effort was complicated by changes in trap lures over this period, as unmated females were replaced by a combination lure consisting of the synthetic pheromone and phenyl propionate, which is needed because mating disruption suppresses pheromone lure trap capture. There were two additional complications: the increased degree day accumulation during the growing season and the three-fold hectarage expansion of pistachio. A biofix at 944.4 degree days °C from the beginning of the year was identified from the dataset, which was consistent across all years in both counties. Using the biofix, subsequent flight peaks occurred at 277.78 degree day °C intervals (generation time on new crop pistachios), corresponding to three weeks in the field. This biofix can be used to improve the timing of field scouting, which in turn will improve the timing of insecticide application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resilient Tree Nut Agroecosystems under Changing Climate)
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13 pages, 666 KiB  
Article
Potential of an Attractive High-Rate Navel Orangeworm (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Pheromone Dispenser for Mating Disruption or for Monitoring
by Charles S. Burks and Bradley S. Higbee
Insects 2024, 15(11), 884; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15110884 - 12 Nov 2024
Viewed by 952
Abstract
Mating disruption is used to manage Amyelois transitella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Current mating disruption uses a single compound, but at least one other is necessary for source contact in laboratory assays and efficient capture in traps in the field. We conducted experiments to [...] Read more.
Mating disruption is used to manage Amyelois transitella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Current mating disruption uses a single compound, but at least one other is necessary for source contact in laboratory assays and efficient capture in traps in the field. We conducted experiments to examine disruption of sexual communication and attraction of males to these high-rate dispensers with either one or both compounds. Trap suppression experiments compared males captured in pheromone traps in orchard blocks treated at a low, medium, or high number of dispensers per ha, and a trapping study used the dispensers as attractants in sticky traps to compare their relative attractiveness. The 2-compound dispensers suppressed male capture in pheromone traps more effectively than the 1-compound dispensers at the intermediate density. The trapping study found that both dispensers captured fewer males than a monitoring lure in the absence of mating disruption but more males in the presence of mating disruption. These data provide additional support for a hybrid mechanism of mating disruption for this species and indicate that the use of the more attractive 2-compound dispensers could make mating disruption more effective at the lowest dispenser density currently used. Alternatively, a lure base on the 2-compound dispenser could provide equally effective monitoring in the presence of mating disruption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resilient Tree Nut Agroecosystems under Changing Climate)
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12 pages, 1374 KiB  
Article
Can Pest Management and Cultivar Affect Phytoptus avellanae Infestations on Hazelnut?
by Mario Contarini, Roberto Masturzi, Eleonora Iezzi, Miloš Petrović, Cristian Silvestri, Silvia Turco, Stefano Speranza and Luca Rossini
Insects 2024, 15(10), 740; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15100740 - 26 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1275
Abstract
The big bud mite Phytoptus avellanae is a resurgent pest of hazelnut, Corylus avellana, causing substantial yields reductions in many productive areas. Mites colonise and develop within healthy buds which become swollen, with subsequent alteration to the plant’s development. To date, there [...] Read more.
The big bud mite Phytoptus avellanae is a resurgent pest of hazelnut, Corylus avellana, causing substantial yields reductions in many productive areas. Mites colonise and develop within healthy buds which become swollen, with subsequent alteration to the plant’s development. To date, there has been limited knowledge on how the cultivar and pest management strategies affect infestations. This study explored these aspects through two ad hoc experiments carried out in central Italy. In the first experiment, the susceptibility of 11 cultivars with different geographic origins was tested in a germplasm hazelnut collection. The second experiment assessed the infestation level in orchards with integrated pest management (IPM) and organic pest management strategies and in a renaturalised environment (a former agricultural area now converted in a natural park). The results showed that the most and the least susceptible cultivars were Tonda Gentile and Nocchione, respectively. No significant differences were found between IPM and organic management, but they were both different to the renaturalised environment. The outcomes of this research can serve as a valuable reference and can be applied to all current or potential hazelnut cultivation areas characterised by the same environmental conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resilient Tree Nut Agroecosystems under Changing Climate)
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