Ilyonectria palmarum sp. nov. causing dry basal stem rot of Arecaceae

During surveys conducted in 2010–2013, a complete breakage or bending of the trunk and a dry basal stem rot were observed on containerised Brahea armata, B. edulis, Howea forsteriana and Trachycarpus princeps plants in different nurseries located in eastern Sicily (southern Italy). A cylindrocarpon-like species was consistently obtained from diseased palm tissues, while known pathogens of these hosts such as Ganoderma, Phytophthora and Thielaviopsis were not found associated with symptomatic tissues or isolated on standard or selective media. A total of 40 cylindrocarpon-like isolates were collected and characterised based on morphology and DNA phylogeny. Multigene analyses based on the β-tubulin, histone H3, translation elongation factor 1-α, and the internal transcribed spacers (ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2) genes facilitated the identification of a new species, described here as Ilyonectria palmarum. The pathogenicity of one representative isolate collected from each palm species was tested on plants cultivated under nursery conditions and in a growth chamber. All isolates were pathogenic to B. armata, B. edulis, H. forsteriana, and T. princeps and symptoms identical to that observed in nurseries were reproduced. Dry basal stem rot and stem bending caused by Ilyonectria palmarum represents a potentially serious problem for nurseries cultivating containerised palms.     

Biochemical and molecular diagnosis of insecticide resistance conferred by esterase, MACE, kdr and super-kdr based mechanisms in Italian strains of the peach potato aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer)

In this paper we analysed the basis of insecticide resistance in 59 Italian strains of the peach potato aphid Myzus persicae using both molecular and biochemical assays. Our data as a whole clearly indicate that most M. persicae strains (76.3%) have high or extremely high production of an esterase enzyme which sequester and detoxify insecticides with esteric group. Kdr genotypes conferring resistance towards pyrethoids are present in 57.7% of the analysed populations. Moreover, 26.5% of the kdr positive strains possess also the M918T mutation conferring super-kdr phenotype. Strains with modified AChE (MACE) are not so numerous (27.1%), although they can be found almost everywhere in Italy. Considering all the strains analysed, both MACE and kdr phenotypes are associated with high levels of esterase activity. In Central–Southern regions, kdr and MACE resistance mechanisms resulted in linkage disequilibrium. Bioassays performed in order to evaluate the efficacy of a pyrethroid insecticide against a strain possessing a F979S mutation within its para-type sodium channel gene suggests that this amino acid substitution could affect the sodium channel responsivity to pyrethroids.     

Some reflections on Eastern European agriculture an introductory essay to the special issue on “agriculture in Eastern Europe”

This article reviews three general themes pertaining to the transformation of Eastern European agriculture from a command system to a market oriented system. The first theme deals with the diverse character of Eastern European agriculture. In a context in which the agricultures of this region are often considered homogenous, acknowledgement of the varied dimension of this sector is a key element in both analytical and political terms. The second theme pertains to the market. The historical and theoretical dispute over the role of the market has not only been central in the socio-economic reorganization of Eastern European countries and agricultures but is also a common element shared with the West. The third and final theme refers to the changing social stratification of rural regions. The emergence of new and powerful social groups and the demise of others represent fundamental aspects in the understanding of possible trajectories for development. The article concludes with a review of the contributions contained in this special issue of Agriculture and Human Values.Alessandro Bonanno is Associate Professor of Rural Sociology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is the author of numerous journal articles and books, among themSmall Farms (1987),Sociology of Agriculture (1989),Agrarian Policies and Agricultural Systems (1990), andThe Agricultural and Food Sector in the New Global Era (1993). He is also co-editor of the forthcoming book From Columbus to ConAgra: The Globalization of Agriculture and Food. Since the late 1980s, he has been researching issues pertaining to the Agricultural and Food Sector in selected Eastern European Countries.     

QTL alleles from a winter feed type can improve malting quality in barley

Mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) responsible for malting quality traits in barley populations has been the main genetic approach to malting quality breeding. A ‘winter × spring’ doubled haploid barley population ‘Nure’ × ‘Tremois’, where such traits were segregating, has been recently developed. Our objective was to map QTLs for malting quality from 2 years of trials in two contrasting locations. QTLs were found on six chromosomes, with a main cluster on chromosome 1H. For wort viscosity and malt extract, favourable alleles at two loci on chromosome 5H were carried by the winter feeding parent ‘Nure’. Doubled‐haploids with higher quality than the spring malting cultivar ‘Tremois’ showed either a facultative or a winter growth habit and a level of frost tolerance comparable with that of the winter tolerant parent ‘Nure’. Markers and QTLs of quality traits were further validated on a separate set of DH lines, coming from the same cross, by means of marker‐assisted selection. This showed that, at least in the present cross combination, positive contributions to malting quality can be found in winter feed barley.     

Full season efficacy of moxidectin microsphere sustained release formulation for the prevention of heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection in dogs

The authors report the efficacy of an injectable, moxidectin sustained release (SR) formulation for the prevention of canine heartworm infection in endemic areas in northern and central Italy. Three field trials were carried out on a total of 324 dogs. Two hundred forty-three dogs were treated with moxidectin SR 6 months apart and 81 dogs (positive controls) with moxidectin tablets given monthly for 5 consecutive months during the risk season each year throughout the study. Results of testing for microfilariae and circulating adult female antigens were negative for all the experimentally treated dogs at the 6, 7, 11 and 19 months after the last injection. No adverse reactions to moxidectin SR were observed but a moderate pain at palpation and swelling (5-6 cm) at the injection site after the first treatment. In the study areas, prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis infection calculated by testing dogs which had no preventive treatment in the previous transmission season ranged from 33 to 63%. This study confirms the efficacy and safety of injectable, moxidectin SR formulation in the prevention of heartworm infection in dogs and demonstrates that the prophylactic efficacy lasts for the full season and strongly suggests that the product gives 1-year protection.     

3-[4-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-1,3-thiazol-2-yl]-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridines,Nortopsentin Analogues with Antiproliferative Activity

A new series of nortopsentin analogues, in which the imidazole ring of the natural product was replaced by thiazole and the indole unit bound to position 2 of the thiazole ring was substituted by a 7-azaindole moiety, was efficiently synthesized. Two of the new nortopsentin analogues showed good antiproliferative effect against the totality of the NCI full panel of human tumor cell lines (~60) having GI₅₀ values ranging from low micromolar to nanomolar level. The mechanism of the antiproliferative effect of these derivatives, investigated on human hepatoma HepG2 cells, was pro-apoptotic, being associated with externalization of plasma membrane phosphatidylserine and mitochondrial dysfunction. Moreover, the compounds induced a concentration-dependent accumulation of cells in the subG0/G1phase, while confined viable cells in G2/M phase.     

Sea cucumber fisheries: global analysis of stocks,management measures and drivers of overfishing

Worldwide, most sea cucumber fisheries are ineffectively managed, leading to declining stocks and potentially eroding the resilience of fisheries. We analyse trends in catches, fishery status, fishing participation and regulatory measures among 77 sea cucumber fisheries through data from recent fishery reports and fishery managers. Critical gaps in fisheries biology knowledge of even commonly targeted species undermine the expected success of management strategies. Most tropical fisheries are small‐scale, older and typified by numerous (>8) species, whereas temperate fisheries are often emerging, mono‐specific and industrialized. Fisher participation data indicated about 3 million sea cucumber fishers worldwide. Fisher participation rates were significantly related to the average annual yield. permanova analysis showed that over‐exploited and depleted fisheries employed different sets of measures than fisheries with healthier stocks, and a non‐metric multidimensional scaling ordination illustrated that a broad set of regulatory measures typified sustainable fisheries. SIMPER and regression tree analyses identified that the dissimilarity was most related to enforcement capacity, number of species harvested, fleet (vessel) controls, limited entry controls and rotational closures. The national Human Development Index was significantly lower in countries with over‐exploited and depleted fisheries. Where possible, managers should limit the number of fishers and vessel size and establish short lists of permissible commercial species in multispecies fisheries. Our findings emphasize an imperative to support the enforcement capacity in low‐income countries, in which risk of biodiversity loss is exceptionally high. Solutions for greater resilience of sea cucumber stocks must be embedded within those for poverty reduction and alternative livelihood options.     

QTLs for barley yield adaptation to Mediterranean environments in the ‘Nure’ × ‘Tremois’ biparental population

Multi-environment trials represent a highly valuable tool for the identification of the genetic bases of crop yield potential and stress adaptation. A Diversity Array Technology^®-based barley map has been developed in the ‘Nure’ × ‘Tremois’ biparental Doubled Haploid population, harbouring the genomic position of a gene set with a putative role in the regulation of flowering time and abiotic stress response in barley. The population has been evaluated in eighteen location-by-year combinations across the Mediterranean basin. QTL mapping identified several genomic regions responsible for barley adaptation to Mediterranean conditions in terms of phenology, grain yield and yield component traits. The most frequently detected yield QTL had the early flowering HvCEN_EPS2 locus (chromosome 2H) as peak marker, showing a positive effect from the early winter parent ‘Nure’ in eight field trials, and explaining up to 45.8 % of the observed variance for grain yield. The HvBM5A_VRN-H1 locus on chromosome 5H and the genomic region possibly corresponding to PPD-H2 on chromosome 1H were significantly associated to grain yield in five and three locations, respectively. Environment-specific QTLs for grain yield, and clusters of yield component QTLs not related to phenology and or developmental genes (e.g. on chromosome 4H, BIN_09) were observed as well. The results of this work provide a valuable source of knowledge and tools for both explaining the genetic bases of barley yield adaptation across the Mediterranean basin, and using QTL-associated markers for MAS pre-breeding and breeding programmes.     

Spatial variability and optimal sampling strategy of soil respiration

Soil respiration is the second largest flux of carbon between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere and is affecting climate sensitivity and vulnerability of the terrestrial carbon stock. Monitoring soil carbon dioxide efflux is a complex task, due to the high spatial and temporal variability of the fluxes. For this reason, more than 30 sampling points are required to attain reliable estimates of ecosystem soil respiration. However, the number of sampled points is often limited by labour, time and budget constraints. Stratified sampling is an alternative to random sampling as a method to reduce the number of sampling points when an effective proxy variable is available for the definition of the strata.     

Balancing wood market demand and common property rights: a case study of a community in the Italian Alps

Common property rights have a long tradition in the Italian Alps, dating back to the Middle Ages, when alpine village communities managed common forests. On these properties, in accordance with rules aimed at regulating the collective use of resources, shareholders have the right of common use of the land. As many mountainous areas still rely on firewood for the heating of homes, the right to gather firewood from common forests is the most important common property right. In the last few decades, renewable bio-energy production based on forest woody biomass has undergone significant development. In Italy, in communities where the right to gather wood still has economic, social, and cultural relevance, decision makers and community members have a different vision about the use of firewood. This paper focuses on this issue by presenting a case study located in the Italian Eastern Alps, characterised by a historical tradition of common property management. In order to define the optimal strategy to manage the common forests, taking into consideration the local community’s needs, a semi-structured questionnaire was submitted to the administrators of the common forests and to the shareholders. Different scenarios of wood use were developed to support managers and decision makers in identifying on-going trends in firewood demand. The results show that the economic scenario for the development of the bio-energy supply chain cannot be reconciled with the historical tradition and social needs.