Establishment of the pineapple mealybug Dysmicoccus brevipes (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Italy |
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| Authors: | P. Suma G. Mazzeo A. La Pergola S. Nucifora A. Russo |
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| Affiliation: | Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, Università di Catania, Catania, Italy |
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| Abstract: | The establishment of the pineapple mealybug Dysmicoccus brevipes (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Italy is reported in this paper. The different instars of the mealybug found during winter in Sicily on the aerial roots of adult date palms (Phoenix dactylifera L.), suggests that D. brevipes has a strong capability to survive and continue its development even under cold temperatures. The establishment of this mealybug in Sicily could represent a serious threat for vineyards, considering the damage observed in South America to the ‘Italia’ grape variety, one of the most widely cultivated table grapes in the island. The application of control strategies should probably be considered. |
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