Current survey methods for monitoring Eriosoma lanigerum Hausmann, the woolly apple aphid (WAA), in apple orchards are often labor-intensive, imprecise, and inadequate for addressing specific monitoring challenges. To improve this, we initiated the development of innovative approaches to investigate the spring migration and to monitor the colonization of individual observational trees. This study presents the preliminary findings from field trials conducted in 2021 and 2022. We evaluated the effectiveness of repeated, simplified surveys of easily observable parameters (e.g. WAA visual spring colonizzation % on shoots) on selected tree groups. When combined with additional field observations, these simplified methods enabled risk assessments of WAA infestation distribution at group or plot level, and offered a potential for near-term orchard-wide infestation predictions. Notably, a reduced, non-destructive shoot monitoring protocol on a limited number of observational trees yielded sufficient information on colony dynamics across larger orchard sections for the early spring period. However, attempts to extrapolate from current migration intensity to future shoot infestation levels proved unsuccessful. Surprisingly, we documented previously unreported migratory behavior in WAA instars believed to be non-migratory. Despite this, our initial results are promising and support the feasibility of simplifying WAA monitoring methods without compromising accuracy. Some findings, however, warrant further validation.

This study presents the results of the monitoring of apiaries in the vicinity of fruit production areas in South Tyrol from spring to autumn (March-October) between 2017 and 2020. According to the results in previous studies regarding honey bee colony development, dead bees and contamination of pollen pellets with plant protection products harmful to bees we were interested in a more detailed analysis of dead bees accumulating in front of bee hives and the colony development. In this context, our investigations focused especially on colony development and mortality. At those points in time when mortality increased rapidly and abnormally, dead bees were analysed in a laboratory to search for plant protection product residues. In each apiary, increased mortality was observed whenever residues of at least one plant protection product harmful to bees was detected on the dead bees. Most of the peaks in mortality were observed in spring and the highest number of products harmful to bees were also found during this period. In spring, products primarily used for apple production and, to some extent, cherry production were detected. Residues originating from vineyards were identified only in autumn. At the same time, our investigations observed colony development and to our knowledge this is the first time such observations have been made from March to September in the area of concern. Comparing the results on colony development with those on mortality, we noted that a higher number of dead bees in front of the hives (expressed as a % of the colony strength), corresponded to fewer bees present in colonies in June, when the population generally peaked. However, no effect on colony development was observed due to the contamination of pollen pellets with plant protection products harmful to bees, based on the calculated daily pollen hazard quotient (PHQ).

Presso la cantina di microvinificazione del Centro di Sperimentazione Laimburg, nelle vendemmie dal 2018 al 2021 sono state condotte delle prove su Pinot nero circa l’impiego dei raspi durante la fermentazione in rosso. Nel 2018 e nel 2019 sono state previste due epoche di raccolta per valutare il livello di maturazione delle uve sull’effetto del raspo. Nelle due annate successive la sperimentazione si è concentrata invece su una sola vendemmia. Il disegno sperimentale prevedeva la comparazione di un testimone completamente diraspato (0% raspi) con tesi che prevedevano l’aggiunta di 25%, 50%, 100% e 200% di raspi. In tutte le casistiche si è osservato che la presenza dei raspi influiva sia sull’aspetto chimico che sensoriale. All’aumentare della percentuale impiegata, l’alcol e l’acidità totale diminuivano, mentre il pH aumentava. La concentrazione antocianica è rimasta pressoché invariata, l’estratto e i polifenoli totali sono aumentati. Alla degustazione, i vini con raspi dallo 0 al 50% mantenevano sentori fruttati, armonia e tipicità. Superata questa percentuale, le note di erbe aromatiche e cuoio emergevano in modo più marcato. Inoltre l’amaro e l’astringenza aumentavano. La presenza di raspi, in percentuali del 25% e talvolta del 50%, ha reso i vini più interessanti in quanto leggermente piú intensi di colore e piú tannici, mantenendo la tipicità e l‘armonia rispetto al testimone non addizionato.

Fruit cultivation is one of the main economic sectors in South Tyrol (Italy) with one of the largest fruit production areas in the EU. In some parts of South Tyrol, more than 75% of the agricultural land is used for the cultivation of fruit trees, such as apples (Malus domestica). Almost 3500 beekeepers are managing 38 000 honey bee colonies, mainly in the valleys between 200 and 600 m a.s.l.. In this article, we aim to elucidate to what extent these fruit tree areas are visited and used by honey bees, especially outside the apple tree blossom period. We investigated the importance of apple orchards for the supply of pollen to honey bees during a period of five years (2016-2020), using palynological analyses of honey bee pollen pellets combined with vegetation surveys inside apple orchards. The results clearly indicate that the local apple orchards were the major pollen source for honey bees during the four weeks of apple tree blossom. However, in the weeks before the beginning of the apple blossom, and in the six weeks after, the apple orchards played a minor role in the supply of pollen to honey bees. Throughout the seasons investigated, flowers of a wide range of entomophilous and anemophilous plant species were the main sources of pollen. Broadleaved trees and shrubs contributed major parts of the pollen supply,whereas herbaceous plants, such as Veronica sp., Plantago lanceolata and Verbascum sp. were frequented far less by the honey bees. This suggests, that the honey bees may prefer pollen sources that provide large quantities of pollen, even though their flowers may not always produce nectar.

In einem Steilhang mit begrenzter Bodenmächtigkeit wurde im Jahre 1999 ein Unterlagenvergleich mit der Sorte Weißburgunder und den Unterlagen SO4, 1103 Paulsen 140 Ruggeri, Börner und zwei Klonen von 420 A mit 5 randomisierten Wiederholung angelegt. Ab 2018, im 20. Standjahr der Anlage wurden in drei aufeinanderfolgenden Jahren Kleinweinausbauten durchgeführt und die Weine wurden sensorisch bewertet. Zudem wurden Erhebungen in der Anlage durchgeführt, um die Wuchsstärke der Unterlagen und ihre Trockenheitsverträglichkeit zu ermitteln. Bei den Auswertungen konnten kaum statistisch signifikante Unterschiede gefunden werden. Bei den Verkostungen der Weine fiel eine Tendenz zu untypischer Alterung der Weine von Paulsen 1103 und 420 A Klon SMA auf. Weiters wiesen die Unterlagen 1103 Paulsen und 140 Ruggeri eine Tendenz zu mehr Wachstum und besserer Trockenstressverträglichkeit im Vergleich zu den anderen Unterlagen auf. Beide Klone der Unterlage 420 A fielen in den Feldwiederholungen mit etwas weniger günstigen Bodenbedingungen in ihrer Vegetationsentwicklung stark ab, was bei den anderen Unterlagen nicht vergleichbar ausgeprägt zu beobachten war.

+390471969542 Holzknecht Elias, Gabrielli Monica ( 2024). An overview on ICT developments in the Agri-food sector: a report from ERA-Net Cofund on ICT-enabled Agri-Food Systems funded projects seminar 2024. Laimburg Journal 06/2024.