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16 pages, 2261 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Multi-Year Study on the Presence and Infestation Levels of Cameraria ohridella and Guignardia aesculi on Horse Chestnut in North-Eastern Italy

by Francesco Pavan and Pietro Zandigiacomo

Forests 2025, 16(2), 284; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16020284 - 7 Feb 2025

Viewed by 645

Abstract

The alien leaf miner Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) is damaging horse chestnuts in European countries. Since native natural enemies cannot control the moth, integrated control strategies must be implemented. In north-eastern Italy, from 1997 to 2020, sampling was performed on 55 sites to [...] Read more.

The alien leaf miner Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) is damaging horse chestnuts in European countries. Since native natural enemies cannot control the moth, integrated control strategies must be implemented. In north-eastern Italy, from 1997 to 2020, sampling was performed on 55 sites to record the presence of and estimate the leaf damage caused by C. ohridella and the fungus Guignardia aesculi. The level of leaf removal from the ground in autumn was estimated, and information on altitude (199–1294 m a.s.l.), average annual temperature (4.4–11.9 °C) and rainfall (954–1394 mm), and the occurrence of trunk injection with abamectin was collected. Damage caused by the leaf miner and the fungus declined with decreasing temperatures, with negligible damage at sites with average annual temperatures below 7 °C (above 1000 m a.s.l. in the study area). Since, in the study sites, complete leaf removal provided comparable efficacy to trunk injections with abamectin, we suggest adopting this environmentally friendly practice to maintain C. ohridella below damaging levels. Interspecific competition occurred between C. ohridella and G. aesculi because leaf damage from one competitor decreased as damage from the other increased. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Urban Forestry)

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25 pages, 2829 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Profile of Volatile Compounds During the Growing Season in Leaves of Aesculus Trees Differing in Susceptibility to Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner (Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimić)

by Maja Paterska, Hanna Bandurska, Mariusz Dziadas, Bogna Zawieja and Tamara Chadzinikolau

Molecules 2025, 30(3), 518; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30030518 - 23 Jan 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 899

Abstract

The invasive pest Cameraria ohridella annually colonizes trees of the genus Aesculus across Europe, causing dark brown damage called mines that gradually cover the leaf surface. This study aimed to compare the VOC profiles emitted by chestnut tree leaves with varying susceptibility to [...] Read more.

The invasive pest Cameraria ohridella annually colonizes trees of the genus Aesculus across Europe, causing dark brown damage called mines that gradually cover the leaf surface. This study aimed to compare the VOC profiles emitted by chestnut tree leaves with varying susceptibility to the pest and assess whether these profiles change due to larval feeding. The research involved a susceptible tree (Ae. turbinata) and resistant trees (Ae. glabra and Ae. parviflora). Over three growing seasons (2014, 2015, 2016), leaf damage and the profile of VOCs were analyzed biweekly from May to September. Leaf damage increased progressively in Ae. turbinata during all seasons. The VOC profiles differed both qualitatively and quantitatively among the trees and across years. More VOCs were identified in 2014 and 2015 than in 2016. The susceptible Ae. turbinata exhibited the highest VOC diversity in 2014, aligning with severe leaf damage—profiles of VOCs in Ae. turbinata were different from resistant trees. Statistical analysis revealed that in 2014 and 2015, differences in the profile of VOCs between susceptible and resistant trees were apparent near pest-feeding dates. In 2016, VOCs significantly distinguished the profile of susceptible trees that were present before the appearance of the first generation of the pest. Full article

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17 pages, 1660 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Susceptibility of Different Aesculus Species to the Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner Moth: Chemical Composition and Morphological Features of Leaves

by Liliya R. Bogoutdinova, Olga V. Shelepova, Ludmila N. Konovalova, Oleg B. Tkachenko, Alexander A. Gulevich, Ekaterina N. Baranova and Irina V. Mitrofanova

J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2024, 5(4), 691-707; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg5040045 - 2 Nov 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1430

Abstract

The susceptibility of seven species of chestnuts to the horse chestnut leaf miner was studied in the arboretum of the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences (MBG RAS), taking into account their interspecific characteristics. Using pheromone delta traps, the highest [...] Read more.

The susceptibility of seven species of chestnuts to the horse chestnut leaf miner was studied in the arboretum of the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences (MBG RAS), taking into account their interspecific characteristics. Using pheromone delta traps, the highest number of Cameraria ohridella moths was shown for Aesculus hippocastanum and the lowest for Aesculus chinensis. A number of anatomical parameters of leaves were investigated, such as the thickness of the epidermal cell wall and the thickness of the palisade and spongy parenchyma layers. As a result, it was shown that the most infected chestnut species had a greater thickness of the nutritious parenchyma tissue. No dependence was found between the degree of susceptibility to the horse chestnut leaf miner and such indicators as the content of chlorophyll a + b and carotenoids in the leaves of seven species of chestnuts. Nevertheless, resistance of different species of the genus Aesculus to Cameraria ohridella under increased tannin content in leaves has been shown. Evaluation of phenolic compounds and flavonoids has not established their reliable role as repellents. The high levels of carbohydrates found during the study contributed to increased susceptibility to the horse chestnut leaf miner. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Living Collection of Botanical Gardens, as a Tool for Dissemination, Knowledge and Biodiversity Conservation Studies)

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15 pages, 7061 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Sun Exposure of the Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) on the Occurrence and Number of Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)

by Liliya R. Bogoutdinova, Ekaterina V. Tkacheva, Ludmila N. Konovalova, Oleg B. Tkachenko, Ludmila S. Olekhnovich, Alexander A. Gulevich, Ekaterina N. Baranova and Olga V. Shelepova

Forests 2023, 14(6), 1079; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14061079 - 24 May 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1819

Abstract

The study of the leafmining moth of the chestnut miner (Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dymić, 1986) was carried out through the planting of the common horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) in the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences. [...] Read more.

The study of the leafmining moth of the chestnut miner (Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dymić, 1986) was carried out through the planting of the common horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) in the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The effect of various degrees of insolation of horse chestnut plants on leaf morphology and the composition of secondary metabolites, as well as the relationship of these parameters with the number and density of C. ohridella populations during the growing season, was studied. The solar influence, it was noted, had a significant impact. Thus, the largest number of the pests was recorded on the leaves of the sunlit side of the tree crown, and the smallest on the leaves of the shady part of the crown. The low content of polyphenols in the pool of secondary metabolites in the tissues of the A. hippocastanum leaves did not deter C. ohridella and poorly protected the plants from this miner, while the significant content of carbohydrates in the leaves reduced the resistance of chestnut plants to damage by the Ohrid leaf miner. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research, Assessment, and Management of Invasive Plant Species)

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17 pages, 11699 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Invasion Genetics of the Horse-Chestnut Leaf Miner, Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), in European Russia: A Case of Successful Involvement of Citizen Science in Studying an Alien Insect Pest

by Natalia I. Kirichenko, Natalia N. Karpun, Elena N. Zhuravleva, Elena I. Shoshina, Vasily V. Anikin and Dmitrii L. Musolin

Insects 2023, 14(2), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14020117 - 24 Jan 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3918

Abstract

Based on the intensive monitoring conducted by our team and volunteers in 2021, the secondary range of an alien horse-chestnut leaf miner, Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimić, 1986 (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), was specified in European Russia. This invasive pest was confirmed in 24 out [...] Read more.

Based on the intensive monitoring conducted by our team and volunteers in 2021, the secondary range of an alien horse-chestnut leaf miner, Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimić, 1986 (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), was specified in European Russia. This invasive pest was confirmed in 24 out of 58 administrative regions of Russia, which it has occupied for approximately 16 years. Analysis of the COI mtDNA gene sequenced in 201 specimens collected in 21 regions of the European part of Russia indicates the occurrence of two haplotypes (A and B), which are also present in the secondary range of C. ohridella in Eastern and Western Europe. The haplotype A dominated and was present in 87.5% of specimens from European Russia. In 2021, C. ohridella produced spectacular outbreaks in Aesculus hippocastanum in southern Russia, where it damaged more than 50% of the leaves in trees in 24 out of 30 distant localities. In the south of the country, the pest infested Acer pseudoplatanus, whereas other species of Acer of European, East Asian, and North American origin showed no signs of attacks. Taking into account that Ae. hippocastanum is present in most regions of European Russia, we expect a further range expansion of C. ohridella up to the Ural Mountains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Systematics, Ecology and Evolution of Lepidoptera)

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13 pages, 3236 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Secondary Metabolites Profile in Horse Chestnut Leaves Infested with Horse-Chestnut Leaf Miner

by Małgorzata Materska, Marzena Pabich, Monika Sachadyn-Król, Agata Konarska, Elżbieta Weryszko-Chmielewska, Barbara Chilczuk, Monika Staszowska-Karkut, Izabella Jackowska and Marta Dmitruk

Molecules 2022, 27(17), 5471; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27175471 - 25 Aug 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1952

Abstract

Natural defensive substances synthesized by plants that could replace synthetic pesticides in the protection of plants against insect invasions are constantly being sought. The study assessed changes in the qualitative and quantitative composition of secondary metabolites in horse chestnut leaves collected in different [...] Read more.

Natural defensive substances synthesized by plants that could replace synthetic pesticides in the protection of plants against insect invasions are constantly being sought. The study assessed changes in the qualitative and quantitative composition of secondary metabolites in horse chestnut leaves collected in different locations and differing in the sensitivity of the plant to the invasion by the horse-chestnut leaf miner. An attempt was made to identify compounds that are most responsible for the increased plant resistance to this threat. Additionally, changes in the anatomy of chestnut leaves affected by the pest were presented. It was noticed that the trees differed in the composition of secondary metabolites already in the initial growing season, which should be related to the influence of habitat conditions. The analysis of the profile of the compounds in non-infested and infested horse chestnut leaves revealed a clear response of the plant to the stress factor, i.e., the foraging of the horse-chestnut leaf miner. Catechins seem to be compounds involved in plant resistance. The leaf anatomy showed enhanced accumulation of phenolic compounds at the pest foraging sites. Hypertrophy and thickened and cracked cell walls of the spongy parenchyma were visible in the vicinity of the mines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Targets in Pest Control: Molecular Characterization, Structural and Biochemical Properties, Physiological Functions, and Evolution)

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17 pages, 5963 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Description of Intra-Annual Changes in Cambial Activity and Differentiation of Secondary Conductive Tissues of Aesculus hippocastanum Trees Affected by the Leaf Miner Cameraria ohridella

by Elżbieta Myśkow, Katarzyna Sokołowska, Aleksandra Słupianek and Vladimir Gryc

Forests 2021, 12(11), 1537; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12111537 - 8 Nov 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2736

Abstract

Aesculus hippocastanum trees are commonly infested by the leaf miner Cameraria ohridella, whose larval activity causes the destruction of the leaf parenchyma and induces defoliation. Pest attacks result in, e.g., production of smaller fruits and tree re-flowering in autumn. Concerning pest influence [...] Read more.

Aesculus hippocastanum trees are commonly infested by the leaf miner Cameraria ohridella, whose larval activity causes the destruction of the leaf parenchyma and induces defoliation. Pest attacks result in, e.g., production of smaller fruits and tree re-flowering in autumn. Concerning pest influence on stem structure only scarce information of narrower annual growth rings of wood has been published. Therefore, we determined the effect of the presence of the leaf miner infestation on intra-annual cambial activity and on differentiation of conductive tissues. These data were compared with phenological phases and pest activity. Pest feeding resulted in changes in onset, cessation and duration of cambial divisions, and differentiation of secondary xylem. The duration of cambial activity was about a month shorter in heavily infested trees and was connected with premature tree defoliation. Affected trees were characterised by a reduction in cambial divisions and earlier cessation of wood differentiation resulting in narrower wood rings. Furthermore, the infested trees exhibited altered wood structure, with more vessels of smaller diameters, however these changes did not affect its theoretical hydraulic conductivity. Interestingly, pest attack did not influence secondary phloem differentiation. The probable influence of long-term infestation on tree growth and condition was discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wood Formation and Environmental Constraints: Multiscale Approach)

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15 pages, 1857 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seasonal Changes and the Interaction between the Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner Cameraria ohridella and Horse Chestnut Leaf Blotch Disease Caused by Guignardia aesculi

by Michal Kopačka, Gösta Nachman and Rostislav Zemek

Forests 2021, 12(7), 952; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12070952 - 19 Jul 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3507

Abstract

The horse chestnut leaf miner Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) is an invasive pest of horse chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum (Sapindales: Sapindaceae) and has spread through Europe since 1985. Horse chestnut leaf blotch is a fungal disease caused by Guignardia aesculi (Botryosphaeriales: Botryosphaeriaceae) that also [...] Read more.

The horse chestnut leaf miner Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) is an invasive pest of horse chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum (Sapindales: Sapindaceae) and has spread through Europe since 1985. Horse chestnut leaf blotch is a fungal disease caused by Guignardia aesculi (Botryosphaeriales: Botryosphaeriaceae) that also seriously damages horse chestnut trees in Europe. The interaction between the leaf miner and the fungus has not yet been sufficiently described. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess leaf damage inflicted to horse chestnut by both C. ohridella and G. aesculi during the vegetation season and to model their interaction. The damage to leaf area was measured monthly from May to September 2013 in České Budějovice, the Czech Republic using digital image analysis of sampled leaves. A simple phenomenological model describing the expected dynamics of the two species was developed. The study revealed that the damage caused by both the pests and the fungus varied significantly among sampling sites within the city. The overall leaf damage exceeded 50% in no-raking sites in August. The mathematical model indicates that infestation by C. ohridella is more affected by G. aesculi than vice versa. Guignardia aesculi is thus the superior competitor of the two species. Our findings highlight the delicate interplay between insect pests and fungal pathogens and the spatiotemporal dynamics influencing them, calling for more research in this understudied area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pests and Pathogens of Urban Trees)

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12 pages, 1473 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fungi Associated with Horse-Chestnut Leaf Miner Moth Cameraria ohridella Mortality

by Irena Nedveckytė, Dalė Pečiulytė and Vincas Būda

Forests 2021, 12(1), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/f12010058 - 5 Jan 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3810

Abstract

The total mortality of the leaf-miner horse-chestnut pest, Cameraria ohridella, collected in nature, and the mortality associated with mycoses were assessed under laboratory conditions in stages: for eggs mortality rates of 9.78% and 61.97% were found, respectively; for caterpillars, 45.25% and 5.59%, [...] Read more.

The total mortality of the leaf-miner horse-chestnut pest, Cameraria ohridella, collected in nature, and the mortality associated with mycoses were assessed under laboratory conditions in stages: for eggs mortality rates of 9.78% and 61.97% were found, respectively; for caterpillars, 45.25% and 5.59%, respectively; and for pupae 21.22% and 100%, respectively. At the egg stage, Cladosporus cladosporioides caused mycosis most often (27% of all mycoses); at the caterpillar stage there was no pronounced predominant fungus species; at the pupal stage both Cordyceps fumosorosea and Beauveria bassiana (32% and 31%, respectively) were most dominant; whereas at the adult stage Lecanicillum aphanocladii (43%) were most dominant. C. ohridella moths remained the most vulnerable during the pupal and caterpillar stages. Maximum diversity of fungi associated with the leaf-miner moth was reached during the period of development inside the chestnut leaf (Shannon–Wiener index—H′ = 2.608 at the caterpillar stage, H′ = 2.619 at the pupal stage), while the minimum was reached in the adult stage (H′ = 1.757). In the caterpillar and pupa stages, saprophytic fungi were most often recorded. Comparative laboratory tests revealed novel properties of the fungus L. aphanocladii, its effectiveness as the leaf-miner moth‘s entomopathogen and its suitability for field application trials while developing environment-friendly methods for horse-chestnut pest control. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pests and Pathogens of Urban Trees)

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12 pages, 828 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Content of Phenolic Compounds in Leaf Tissues of White (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) and Red Horse Chestnut (Aesculus carea H.) Colonized by the Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner (Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimić)

by Jan Oszmiański, Stanisław Kalisz and Wojdyło Aneta

Molecules 2014, 19(9), 14625-14636; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules190914625 - 15 Sep 2014

Cited by 49 | Viewed by 8255

Abstract

Normally, plant phenolics are secondary metabolites involved in the defense mechanisms of plants against fungal pathogens. Therefore, in this study we attempted to quantify and characterize phenolic compounds in leaves of white and red horse chestnut with leaf miner larvae before and after [...] Read more.

Normally, plant phenolics are secondary metabolites involved in the defense mechanisms of plants against fungal pathogens. Therefore, in this study we attempted to quantify and characterize phenolic compounds in leaves of white and red horse chestnut with leaf miner larvae before and after Cameraria ohridella attack. A total of 17 phenolic compounds belonging to the hydroxycinnamic acid, flavan-3-ols and flavonol groups were identified and quantified in white and red horse chestnut leaf extracts. Significantly decreased concentrations of some phenolic compounds, especially of flavan-3-ols, were observed in infected leaves compared to the non-infected ones. Additionally, a higher content of polyphenolic compounds especially (−)-epicatechin and procyanidins in leaves of red-flowering than in white-flowering horse chestnut may explain their greater resistance to C. ohridella insects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Metabolites)

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