h i g h l i g h t s Rhynchophorus species are polyphagous and some are pests of several palm species. We reviewed their natural enemies in both their native and introduced regions. More than 50 natural enemies have been reported to attack Rhynchophorus species. Fungi are the most promising ones for biological control.

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Abstract. Land use influences the abundance and diversity of soil arthropods. The evaluation of the impact of different management strategies on soil quality is increasingly sought, and the determination of community structures of edaphic fauna can represent an efficient tool. In the area of Langhe (Piedmont, Italy), eight vineyards characterized for physical and chemical properties (soil texture, soil pH, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, calcium carbonate) were selected. We evaluated the effect of two types of crop management, organic and integrated pest management (IPM), on abundance and biodiversity of microarthropods living at the soil surface. Soil sampling was carried out in winter 2011 and spring 2012. All specimens were counted and determined up to the order level. The biodiversity analysis was performed using ecological indexes (taxa richness, dominance, Shannon-Wiener, Buzas and Gibson's evenness, Margalef, equitability, Berger-Parker), and the biological soil quality was assessed with the BSQ-ar index.The mesofauna abundance was affected by both the type of management and sampling time. On the whole, a higher abundance was in organic vineyards (N = 1981) than in IPM ones (N = 1062). The analysis performed by ecological indexes showed quite a high level of biodiversity in this environment, particularly in May 2012. Furthermore, the BSQ-ar values registered were similar to those obtained in preserved soils.

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Specimens of four species of corticolous mites, Liebstadia humerata Sell. (Oribatida: Protobatidae), Scheloribates latipes (C. L. Koch) (Oribatida: Scheloribatidae), Thyreophagus corticalis (Mich.) (Acaridida: Acaridae), and Zygoribatula laubieri meridionalis Trav6 (Oribafida: Oribatulidae), were found in cankers, caused by Cryphonectria parasitica on chestnut trees, and were reared on laboratory cultures of the parasite. Monoxenic cultures were carried out using a hypovirulent (H) strain of the blight fungus. A group of mites was transferred from the H cultures to a met auxotrophic virulent (V) strain. Fecal pellets collected aseptically were used to inoculate agar plates. New C. parasitica cultures developed and white colonies with the morphological characters of the hypovirulent strain were 6btained. Development of C. parasitica from mites indicated that the mycelial fragments were viable. The dsRNA presence in these cultures obtained from fecal pellets deposited by mites feeding from the blight agent mycelia was emphasized. Inoculation tests in the field confirmed that the white strains developed from the mite's fecal pellets were hypovirulent and suggested that these arthropods play a leading role in the natural spreading of hypovirulence in the chestnut stands.