Microclimatic conditions drive summer flight phenology of Platypus cylindrus in managed cork oak stands

Abstract

The oak pinhole borer, Platypus cylindrus F., mainly colonizes oaks (Quercus sp.), and it is considered among the most serious pests of cork oak (Quercus suber L.). Despite being traditionally considered as a secondary pest in thermophilic oak woodlands, outbreaks seem to be more frequent throughout the Mediterranean Basin thus becoming a growing forest health concern. In the Iberian Peninsula, this insect mainly attacks cork oaks (Q. suber) causing intense stress to mature trees specially after cork harvesting season. In this study, we investigated the summer flight phenology of P. cylindrus in six stands located in north‐eastern Spain. We recorded the number of insects trapped in pheromone‐baited traps from late April to early September of 2021, and computed sex ratio, average date of flight and season flight curve in each plot. We fitted a GAM model to evaluate how population dynamics are driven by date and climatic factors. A total of 1795 insects were collected during the sampling period. Population peaks occurred from late May to mid‐August. The fitted GAM predicted changes in the number of captures throughout the summer varying with microclimatic conditions. In addition, diversity of trapped non‐target Curculionidae resulted moderate with low evenness including either ambrosia or bark beetles. This study represents the first attempt at modelling P. cylindrus flight, thus providing insights into the association between climate, pests and forestry.

New qPCR protocol to detect Diplodia corticola shows phoretic association with the oak pinhole borer Platypus cylindrus

“…6,7 On the other hand, in our study area, fungal prevalence was noticeable earlier than reported by Panzavolta et al 27 who isolated D. corticola more frequently from August to October after an intense drought. In addition, the relative maxima of spore load resulted in unpaired OPB dynamics since peaks of emerging adults occurred from early to mid-June and in mid-July, 13 when expected spore load was lower. These observations evidence the lack of knowledge about the lifecycle of the organisms involved in this pathosystem, encouraging development of future studies focused on sporulation ecology and its relationship with carrier insects' dynamics.…”

“…Six sampling plots were set in Catalonia (North‐eastern Spain) in managed mature cork oak stands between April and October 2021 (Table 1) for monitoring P. cylindrus summer flight period 13 . We established this study in the county of La Selva (Girona, Spain) in the core area of the NE Spain cork production region.…”

“…2.1 Field sampling, insect identification, and DNA extraction Six sampling plots were set in Catalonia (North-eastern Spain) in managed mature cork oak stands between April and October 2021 (Table 1) for monitoring P. cylindrus summer flight period. 13 We established this study in the county of La Selva (Girona, Spain) in the core area of the NE Spain cork production region. We selected all the mature Q. suber stands in the county over 20 ha, that had been harvested in the three previous years.…”

Green synthesis, characterization, and biochemical impacts of new bioactive isoxazoline‐sulfonamides as potential insecticidal agents against the Sphodroxia maroccana Ley

“…Globally, approximately 30% of potential crop yields are lost each year due to pests, weeds, and agricultural diseases 1–3 . Indeed, in the Mediterranean area, an important number of pests can colonize cork oaks ( Quercus suber L ), causing intense stress to mature trees, especially after the cork harvesting season 4–7 …”

“…[1][2][3] Indeed, in the Mediterranean area, an important number of pests can colonize cork oaks (Quercus suber L), causing intense stress to mature trees, especially after the cork harvesting season. [4][5][6][7] Mediterranean cork oak forests are one of the world's most interesting biodiversity hotspots, cork oak forests, and woodlands cover a large area approximately 2.2 million hectares across the central and western part of the Mediterranean Basin and North Africa, in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, and are mainly exploited for cork extraction, with management systems that vary from semi-natural to pastoral. 8,9 The decline of cork oak trees is a prevalent issue across their entire distribution range and is primarily caused by poor management and unfavorable weather conditions.…”