News about Defence

Leptopilin japonica: a valuable resource in the fight against Drosophila suzukii

Crop protection

02 Jan 2025

Leptopilina japonica joins Ganaspis brasiliensis in the Fondazione Edmund Mach trial. Although Ganaspis brasiliensis remains the leading candidate, it is expected that the two insects can work synergistically to enhance control efficacy.

The impact of root rot on sweet cherry tree metabolism and microbiome

Crop protection

31 Dec 2024

A study analyzed the effects of root rot on plant metabolism, soil physicochemical properties, and the composition of the root and rhizosphere microbiome. The results demonstrate that root rot is not merely an isolated disease but a condition that disrupts the entire system.

Innovative rootstock techniques to combat root rot in the cherry tree

Rootstocks

27 Dec 2024

Gasic, leader of the four-year, $5 million project funded by the USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative, said there is still much to discover. For instance: Armillaria-resistant rootstocks that are compatible with cherry trees have yet to be found.

D.suzukii management in Emilia-Romagna on cherry trees: monitoring and Integrated Production strategies

Crop protection

20 Dec 2024

The Consorzio Fitosanitario di Modena is particularly engaged in various specialized research activities in favor of cherry producers. Among those, the one related to the annual monitoring of D. suzukii is considered one of the most important to guide technical consultants.

Genetics as starting point against Drosophila suzukii

Crop protection

18 Dec 2024

Researchers from the Ecological Sciences Division of the James Hutton Institute researched collecting infested fruit from both cultivated fields and natural areas to assess genetic differences between Drosophila suzukii individuals feeding on the various fruit cohorts.

Application of plant phospholipids improves cellular resistance against cracking

Tech management

16 Dec 2024

Biotens is a product that integrates into the plasma membranes of plant cells because it has the same composition (vegetable phospholipids). Biotens, due to this characteristic, does not cover the stomata and does not interfere with the dynamism of the plant's plasma membran.

Ganaspis kimorum: the Netherlands is studying how to integrate it to combat Drosophila suzukii

Crop protection

16 Dec 2024

Before the wasp can be introduced in the Netherlands, much remains to be done. Herman Helsen: ‘We have to prove that the introduction of the parasitic wasp will not disrupt the entire native fauna. A dossier is required for this authorisation'.

Bacterial canker: symptoms, causes, and prevention in the sweet cherry tree during the fall season

Crop protection

11 Dec 2024

The most evident symptoms of bacterial canker in sweet cherry are a dark canker, often accompanied by gummosis. Symptoms commonly develop at the base of trees, particularly in younger trees, which are more susceptible to damage caused by machinery, rodents, frost, and irrigation.

Exposure to low doses of insecticides in Drosophila suzukii: are there sublethal and chronic effects?

Crop protection

26 Nov 2024

A recent study from Poland analyzed the effects of sublethal doses of acetamiprid and nicotine on Drosophila suzukii, evaluating alterations in wing symmetry among exposed insects. The parameter used for evaluation was the "fluctuating asymmetry".

$325,000 grant for a revolutionary biopesticide against Drosophila suzukii

Crop protection

18 Nov 2024

Michigan State University aim to create a yeast-based biopesticide modeled after approaches proven effective against other species of flies and mosquitoes. The product works by disrupting the protein translation of the pests' ribonucleic acid (RNA).