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13 June 2024 Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) as the major contributor to early olive drop in northern Italy
Francesco Sanna, Nicola Mori, Giacomo Santoiemma, Alberto Pozzebon, Davide Scaccini, Federico Marangoni, Luca Sella
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Abstract

In recent years, a new phenomenon of early olive drop is causing production losses in olive groves throughout northern Italy.To analyze the possible causes, field and laboratory trials were performed to assess the involvement of fungal pathogens and insect pests in this disease. External and internal symptoms of fungal infections or insect-feeding activities were researched. Fungi present in healthy and dislodged olives were investigated. The relationship between olives that fell and Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) infestation was assessed in a controlled infestation trial, and the effectiveness of an insecticidal strategy in reducing early olive drop was tested in open field conditions. A comparable number of fungi, mostly endophytes, were isolated and identified from both healthy and dislodged olives. The damage observed on dislodged olives was primarily ascribed to pentatomids feeding activity. Six stink bugs species were found in olive canopies, that is, the invasive H. halys, which was by far the most abundant, and Acrosternum heegeri Fieber, Nezara viridula (Linnaeus), Palomena prasina (Linnaeus), Piezodorus lituratus (Fabricious), and Rhaphigaster nebulosa (Poda). Halyomorpha halys caused intense fruit drop in the controlled infestation trial, and its infestation level significantly correlated with the number of olives that fell. Native stink bugs, present in much lower population compared to H. halys, could also partially contribute to early drop of olives. Insect proof net significantly reduced the early olive drop disease, while insecticide applications only partially reduced the stink bugs population density and, proportionally, early olive drop.

Francesco Sanna, Nicola Mori, Giacomo Santoiemma, Alberto Pozzebon, Davide Scaccini, Federico Marangoni, and Luca Sella "Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) as the major contributor to early olive drop in northern Italy," Journal of Economic Entomology 117(4), 1336-1346, (13 June 2024). https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toae126
Received: 30 January 2024; Accepted: 25 May 2024; Published: 13 June 2024
JOURNAL ARTICLE
11 PAGES

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KEYWORDS
brown marmorated stink bug
fungal olive disease
Heteroptera feeding damage
integrated stink bug management
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