Assessment of Semiochemical Repellents for Protecting Walnut Trees From Walnut Twig Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Attack in a Commercial Orchard Setting in California

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jackson P Audley ◽  
Richard M Bostock ◽  
Steven J Seybold
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Cost ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Juglans Regia ◽  
Zone Of Inhibition ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Pityophthorus Juglandis ◽  
Landing Response ◽  
Aggregation Behaviors ◽  
Walnut Twig Beetle ◽  
Whole Tree

Abstract The walnut twig beetle, Pityophthorus juglandis Blackman, the vector of thousand cankers disease (TCD), poses a significant threat to North American walnut (Juglandaceae Juglans) trees. Despite discovery of TCD-related tree mortality over a decade ago, management options are lacking. This study represents the culmination of several years of investigating the chemical ecology of P. juglandis in hopes of developing a semiochemical repellent to disrupt the beetle’s host colonization and aggregation behaviors. Numbers of P. juglandis landing on semiochemical-treated Juglans regia L. trees in a commercial walnut orchard were compared based on captures on sticky traps. Two repellent combinations were tested: R-(+)-limonene and trans-conophthorin (LimeCon), and R-(+)-limonene, trans-conophthorin, and R-(+)-verbenone (LCV). Both repellents reduced P. juglandis aggregation (captures) equally; thus, we proceeded with the LimeCon combination to reduce potential treatment cost. Subsequent trials included a 2× dose (Dual) of LimeCon. Both LimeCon and Dual significantly reduced the number of P. juglandis caught compared with the baited control, however, only for the lower of two trap positions. Beetle landings were modeled by trap distance from repellent placement on each tree. Beetle responses to the pheromone lure were surprisingly localized and did not bring the whole tree under attack. LimeCon, LCV, and Dual treatments averaged fewer than a single beetle caught for all trap distances; however, performance of the repellents beyond 150 cm is not clear due to the localized landing response of P. juglandis to pheromone lures. Further testing is required to fully analyze the zone of inhibition of the LimeCon repellent.

scholarly journals First Record of Thousand Cankers Disease Fungal Pathogen Geosmithia morbida and Walnut Twig Beetle Pityophthorus juglandis on Juglans regia in Europe

Plant Disease ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 98 (10) ◽  
pp. 1445-1445 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Montecchio ◽  
G. Fanchin ◽  
M. Simonato ◽  
M. Faccoli
Keyword(s):  
Bark Beetle ◽  
Juglans Regia ◽  
First Record ◽  
The United States ◽  
Black Walnut ◽  
Geosmithia Morbida ◽  
Pityophthorus Juglandis ◽  
Blast Analysis ◽  
Thousand Cankers Disease ◽  
Walnut Twig Beetle

Thousand cankers disease (TCD) is a disease complex caused by the fungus Geosmithia morbida Kolařik (Ascomycota, Hypocreales) and its vector Pityophthorus juglandis Blackman 1928 (Coleoptera, Scolytinae; walnut twig beetle, WTB). Since the mid-1990s, the disease was responsible for widespread mortality of many walnut species in the United States (4). After the first detection of TCD on black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) in Italy (3), an extensive survey was activated in cooperation with the Regional Phytosanitary Service. In May 2014, early TCD symptoms (4) were observed on English walnuts (J. regia L.). Canopies showed yellowing, wilting, and dieback of the youngest twigs, and a number of small brown cankers. Longitudinal and radial sections sampled through the cankers revealed gray to brown discoloration of both phloem and bark, and the presence of bark beetle galleries. Xylem discoloration was never observed. From one ~20-year-old European walnut growing in a garden neighboring an infected black walnut plantation (Santorso, Vicenza, 45°72′ N, 11°40′ E), a number of 1- to 2.5-cm-diameter twigs showing cankers up to 2 cm long surrounding bark beetle holes were collected. Whitish mycelium producing verticillate conidiophores was detected inside the insect galleries. From the necrotic margin of eight cankers previously surface-sterilized with 3% sodium hypochlorite, two 4-mm-wide chips per canker were placed on potato dextrose agar and incubated at 28 ± 1°C in the dark. Slow growing lobate, plane, yellowish-ocher colonies with hyaline mycelium appeared in 5 days. After subculturing to the same medium, growth features, mycelium, conidiophores, and conidia with morphological characteristics matching Kolarik's description of G. morbida (2) were observed. The ITS region of rDNA from the fungus strain LM14GM001-JR was amplified by using ITS1F and ITS4 primers and sequenced obtaining a 387-bp gene fragment. BLAST analysis showed 99% identity to the G. morbida strain U19 (GenBank Accession No. KF808301.1) for 384 bp, and 99% identity to the G. morbida strain LM13GM001-JN previously isolated from J. nigra in Italy (3). From the same samples, two emerging beetles were collected and identified as P. juglandis both morphologically (5) and genetically by DNA extraction following a standard salting out protocol. The barcode region of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I was then amplified by using universal primers (1) and sequenced to obtain a 614-bp fragment of the gene. BLAST analysis showed 100% identity to P. juglandis based on comparison with KJ451422. A few other English walnuts with both the fungus and WTB were also found close to other infected black walnut plantations. To our knowledge, this is the first record of G. morbida and P. juglandis on J. regia in Europe, where the tree is cultivated for both fruit and timber production, as well as a traditional landscape tree. Voucher specimens are stored in the TeSAF herbarium and in the DAFNAE insect collection. References: (1) O. Folmer et al. Mol. Marine Biol. Biotechnol. 3:294, 1994. (2) M. Kolarik et al. Mycologia 103:325, 2011. (3) L. Montecchio and M. Faccoli. Plant Dis. 98:696, 2014. (4) S. J. Seybold et al. USDA Forest Service, NA-PR-02-10, 2013. (5) S. L. Wood. Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs 6:1123, 1982.

scholarly journals Dispersal and colonization risk of the Walnut Twig Beetle, Pityophthorus juglandis, in southern Europe

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Marchioro ◽  
Massimo Faccoli
Keyword(s):  
Spatiotemporal Data ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Dispersal Capacity ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Geosmithia Morbida ◽  
Ne Italy ◽  
Pityophthorus Juglandis ◽  
Southwestern Usa ◽  
Walnut Twig Beetle ◽  
First Time

AbstractThe Walnut Twig Beetle (WTB), Pityophthorus juglandis Blackman, is a small bark beetle native to Mexico and Southwestern USA recorded for the first time in Europe (NE Italy) in 2013. WTB attacks walnut (Juglans spp.) and wingnut trees (Pterocarya spp.) and is the vector of Geosmithia morbida Kolarík et al., a pathogen causing the thousand cankers disease (TCD). WTB and TCD represent a serious threat for walnut orchards in Europe. Spatiotemporal data of the WTB-TCD infestations recorded from an 8-year-long (2013–2020) monitoring conducted in 106 walnut orchards of NE Italy were used to develop a model in order to analyze: (i) the effective dispersal capacity of WTB, (ii) the factors affecting dispersal and (iii) the colonization risk of healthy walnut orchards. We registered a mean annual dispersal of 9.4 km, with peaks of about 40 km. Pest dispersal is affected by distance of suitable hosts from the nearest infested site, number of walnut orchards in the surroundings (both infested and healthy), orchard size and walnut species in the orchard. Using the model, it was also possible to calculate the colonization risk of a specific walnut orchard according to its characteristics showing, for instance, that a medium-size (5,000 trees) black walnut orchard located at 25 km from the nearest infested orchard has an infestation risk of about 50% of probability.

scholarly journals Detection of Geosmithia morbida on Numerous Insect Species in Four Eastern States

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 133-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Moore ◽  
Jennifer Juzwik ◽  
Fredric Miller ◽  
Leah Roberts ◽  
Matthew D. Ginzel
Keyword(s):  
Bark Beetles ◽  
Adult Emergence ◽  
Juglans Nigra ◽  
Insect Species ◽  
Geosmithia Morbida ◽  
Pityophthorus Juglandis ◽  
Thousand Cankers Disease ◽  
Branch Dieback ◽  
Walnut Twig Beetle ◽  
Β Tubulin

Thousand cankers disease is caused by the coalescence of numerous Geosmithia morbida cankers on branches and stems of Juglans species, leading to branch dieback and eventual tree death. The fungus sporulates in galleries of the walnut twig beetle (Pityophthorus juglandis), allowing for acquisition of pathogen propagules and its subsequent transmission to other branches or trees following adult emergence. Recently, G. morbida has been isolated from Xylosandrus crassiusculus and Xyleborinus saxesenii collected in Ohio and Stenomimus pallidus collected in Indiana. These beetles are known to colonize diseased Juglans nigra in these states. In this study, an operational trap survey for ambrosia beetles, bark beetles, and other weevils was conducted in four eastern states, and captured beetles were assayed to detect G. morbida using both culture and PCR-based methods. A new primer pair (GmF3/GmR13), based on the β-tubulin region, was designed for G. morbida DNA detection. The pathogen was detected on 18 insect species using molecular methods, and live cultures were isolated from two species. This is the first report of the pathogen in Illinois and Minnesota.

scholarly journals Dendrochronological Analyses and Whole-Tree Dissections Reveal Caliciopsis Canker (Caliciopsis pinea) Damage Associated with the Declining Growth and Climatic Stressors of Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 347
Author(s):  
Kara K.L. Costanza ◽  
William H. Livingston ◽  
Shawn Fraver ◽  
Isabel A. Munck
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Pinus Strobus ◽  
White Pine ◽  
Eastern White Pine ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Biological Impacts ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Whole Tree

Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) is considered a signature species in eastern North America, particularly in New England. In recent years, however, white pine has experienced increased damage due to native pathogens that reduce the species’ growth, productivity, and economic value. One disease of concern is Caliciopsis canker, caused by the fungal pathogen Caliciopsis pinea, which is associated with excessive resin production, cankers, rough bark, bark fissures/cracks, and reduced growth in white pine. Recent studies have documented the extent of Caliciopsis canker in New England and its association with soil and stocking conditions, yet few studies have focused on the biological impacts of the disease. This study used dendrochronology and whole-tree dissections to reconstruct Caliciopsis canker history in three New England white pine sites, quantify its impact on tree growth and vigor, identify pre-disposing factors, and assess potential silvicultural management options. Dendrochronology and whole-tree dissections provided a unique insight into canker damage throughout trees’ development. Canker damage was first reported in New Hampshire in the mid-1990s, yet cankers were present as far back as 1967 and have steadily increased since the mid-1980s. Increased canker damage was significantly associated with decreased live crown ratios and declining tree growth. Trees maintaining a 30% live crown ratio or greater generally experienced the least canker damage. Furthermore, peaks in canker occurrence were consistent across sites, indicating a regional synchronization of infection and damage. Canker damage was closely associated with climatic events such as droughts and a New England hurricane. The results suggest that Caliciopsis canker has been affecting white pine health over the last 40 years, and that the disease has become more prevalent in the past 20–30 years. Yet, our results suggest that if silvicultural prescriptions target low density thinnings that favor trees with higher live crown ratios (>30%) and low Caliciopsis symptom severity ratings, the risk of canker damage can be reduced in white pine stands.

scholarly journals Discovery of Walnut Twig Beetle, Pityophthorus juglandis, Associated with Forested Black Walnut, Juglans nigra, in the Eastern U.S.

Forests ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 1185-1193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory Wiggins ◽  
Jerome Grant ◽  
Paris Lambdin ◽  
Paul Merten ◽  
Katheryne Nix ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Walnut ◽  
Juglans Nigra ◽  
Pityophthorus Juglandis ◽  
Walnut Twig Beetle

scholarly journals Profitability of the First Commercial Thinning, a Simulation Study in Northern Finland

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1389
Author(s):  
Anssi Ahtikoski ◽  
Juha Laitila ◽  
Anu Hilli ◽  
Marja-Leena Päätalo
Keyword(s):  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Forest Owner ◽  
Energy Price ◽  
Private Forest ◽  
Private Forest Owners ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Energy Wood ◽  
Private Forest Owner ◽  
Profitability Assessment ◽  
Whole Tree

Despite positive signals from increasing growing stock volumes and improved roundwood trade, first commercial thinnings (FCTs) tend to be a bottleneck in Finnish forest management and forestry. The reasons are many, but probably the most crucial would be the lack of simultaneous economic incentives for participating agents, i.e., private forest owners and forest machine contractors. This is due to poor stand characteristics in most FCT cases: low cutting removal with small average stem size. There are five predetermined management options: (1) Industrial wood thinning with only two timber assortments, pulpwood and saw logs, (2) Integrated procurement of industrial and energy wood, (3) Energy wood thinning solely consisting of delimbed stems, (4) Whole-tree energy wood thinning with an energy price of 3 € m−3 and (5) Whole-tree energy wood thinning with energy price of 8 € m−3, that were applied for six separate forest stands located in Northern Finland, and derived from a database representing stands with an urgent need for FCT. Then, a two-phase financial analysis consisting of stand-level optimization (private forest owners) and profitability assessment (contractor) was conducted in order to find out whether there would be simultaneous economic incentives for both participants of FCT. The stand-level optimization revealed the financially best management options for a private forest owner, and then, for a contractor, the profitability assessment exposed the profit (or loss) associated with the particular management option. In brief, our results demonstrated that conducting either an industrial wood thinning (1) or an integrated procurement (2) resulted in a positive economic incentive for both the private forest owner and the contractor in all six cases (stands). Further, applying energy wood thinning with delimbed stems (3) would even generate a financial loss for the contractor, given the roadside prices applied in this study

scholarly journals Eastern Black Walnut (Juglans nigra L.) Originating From Native Range Varies in Their Response to Inoculation With Geosmithia morbida

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachael A. Sitz ◽  
Emily K. Luna ◽  
Jorge Ibarra Caballero ◽  
Ned A. Tisserat ◽  
Whitney S. Cranshaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Genetic Resistance ◽  
Common Garden ◽  
The United States ◽  
Black Walnut ◽  
Native Range ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Improvement Program ◽  
Geosmithia Morbida ◽  
Walnut Twig Beetle

Thousand cankers disease (TCD) is caused by the walnut twig beetle (Pityophthorus juglandis) vectoring the fungal canker pathogen Geosmithia morbida, which can result in severe dieback and eventual death to species of walnut (Juglans spp.) and wingnut (Pterocarya spp.). This disease is most devastating to the highly valued species J. nigra (black walnut). This species is primarily grown and harvested for timber production in the Central Hardwood Region of the United States, which comprises part of its native range. Management options for TCD are limited; therefore, finding resistant genotypes is needed. Initial studies on black walnut susceptibility to G. morbida documented some genetic variation and suggested potential resistance. Furthermore, G. morbida is thought to be native to the United States, which may have allowed for co-evolution. To capture the representative genetic diversity and screen for resistance to G. morbida, J. nigra families were collected from across the native range. These wild trees, in conjunction with seedlings developed in a black walnut timber improvement program, were planted in a common garden in Fort Collins, Colorado and repeatedly inoculated with G. morbida over the course of four years and three growing seasons. Improved seedlings exhibited larger cankered areas than wild J. nigra of the same provenance. Cankers induced by G. morbida in wild germplasm were smaller on J. nigra collected from the western and central portions of the native range compared to those collected from the eastern portion. Although trees from the western and central part of the range still incurred cankers, our findings indicate that variation in genetic resistance to G. morbida is present in black walnut. This study was performed with G. morbida independent of the walnut twig beetle, but our results suggest the limited G. morbida resistance observed in J. nigra will prevent the full compromise of black walnut to TCD. Results from this study should be taken into consideration in future black walnut breeding programs.

scholarly journals Effect of Bark Application With Beauveria bassiana and Permethrin Insecticide on the Walnut Twig Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Black Walnut Bolts

2019 ◽  
Vol 112 (5) ◽  
pp. 2493-2496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert E Mayfield ◽  
Jennifer Juzwik ◽  
Jamison Scholer ◽  
John D Vandenberg ◽  
Adam Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Beauveria Bassiana ◽  
Black Walnut ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Eastern United States ◽  
Water Control ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Pityophthorus Juglandis ◽  
Thousand Cankers Disease ◽  
Commercial Applications ◽  
Walnut Twig Beetle

Abstract Formulations of entomopathogenic (insect-killing) fungi represent alternatives to synthetic insecticides in the management of forest and shade tree insects. We evaluated bark spray applications of the entomopathogen Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) strain GHA (BotaniGardES), permethrin insecticide (Astro), and water (control) on colonization of black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) (Fagales: Juglandaceae) bolts by the walnut twig beetle (Pityophthorus juglandis Blackman) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), vector of the fungus that causes thousand cankers disease. Treated bolts were baited with a P. juglandis aggregation pheromone lure and deployed in infested walnut trees. Bark application of permethrin prevented P. juglandis colonization of the phloem. Although treatment of bolts with the B. bassiana suspension did not reduce P. juglandis colonization or short-term emergence relative to the control treatment, it increased the B. bassiana infection rate from 25 to 62% of emerged adults. Results suggest that commercial applications of B. bassiana strain GHA may help augment natural levels of infection by this entomopathogen in the eastern United States, and support continued exploration of entomopathogens for biological control of the walnut twig beetle.

scholarly journals Insects collected from wood infested with Pityophthorus juglandis Blackman (Coleoptera Curculionidae Scolytinae) in the Piemonte region, Northwestern Italy

2018 ◽  
pp. 21-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Bosio ◽  
Crystal Cooke-McEwen
Keyword(s):  
First Record ◽  
Northern Italy ◽  
Black Walnut ◽  
Northern California ◽  
Pityophthorus Juglandis ◽  
Thousand Cankers Disease ◽  
Multiple Species ◽  
Walnut Twig Beetle ◽  
First Time ◽  
Accidental Introduction

The walnut twig beetle, Pityophthorus juglandis Blackman (Coleoptera Curculionidae Scolytinae), and thousand cankers disease are documented in the Piemonte region of Northern Italy for the first time.  Northern California is found to be the likely origin of the Piemonte walnut twig beetles based on the comparison of CO1 haplotypes. Multiple species of parasitoids have been reared from black walnut wood infested with the invasive walnut twig beetle.  These rearings constitute the first record of the genus Neocalosoter Girault and Dodd (Hymenoptera Pteromalidae Cerocephalinae) in Europe and are likely due to accidental introduction along with the host beetle. Two specimens of Theocolax spp. are described as morphological anomalies with geographical origins unknown.   

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