Chestnut Groves Research Articles

Genetic Insights into the Historical Attribution of Variety Names of Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) in Northern Italy.

The sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) is subject to the progressive disappearance of its traditional chestnut groves. In the northern part of Italy, where distribution of the sweet chestnut is fragmented, many local varieties continue to be identified mostly by oral tradition. We characterised by SSRs eleven historically recognised varieties of sweet chestnut in the area surrounding Lake Como, with the goal of giving a genetic basis to the traditional classification. We performed classical analysis about differentiation and used Bayesian approaches to detect population structure and to reconstruct demography. The results revealed that historical and genetic classifications are loosely linked when chestnut fruits are just "castagne", that is, normal fruits, but increasingly overlap where "marroni" (the most prized fruits) are concerned. Bayesian classification allowed us to identify a homogeneous gene cluster not recognised in the traditional assessment of the varieties and to reconstruct possible routes used for the propagation of sweet chestnut. We also reconstructed ancestral relationships between the different gene pools involved and dated ancestral lineages whose results fit with palynological data. We suggest that conservation strategies based on a genetic evaluation of the resource should also rely on traditional cultural heritage, which could reveal new sources of germplasm.

Decline and restoration of a typical silvo-pastoral mountain landscape in the Italian Apennines. The case of Moscheta in Tuscany

Mountain cultural landscapes of southern Europe have been affected during the 20th century by significant land use changes, due to depopulation and abandonment of traditional agro-silvo-pastoral practices. In addition, the cessation of traditional forest management led to a homogenization of forest structures and to the loss of habitats. Italy is one of the European countries most affected by the consequences of depopulation of mountain areas. Moscheta is located in the Italian Apennines, in Tuscany, and its economy has been based for centuries on forests (for timber, firewood, charcoal, and chestnuts to produce flour) and livestock. The aim of the paper is to analyze the land use changes occurred in a typical forest mountain landscape of southern Europe in the last 191 years, and to describe the characteristics and the results of the Forest Landscape Restoration project recently implemented. The methodology is based on GIS-based spatial analyses comparing the landscape of 1832, 2013 and 2023. In the period 1832–2013, 45% of the total surface was affected by forestation (average rate of 1.9 ha/year) mainly due to the abandonment of pastures and wooded pastures, but also to direct conifer afforestation. Chestnut groves were abandoned as they were no more economically interesting. From the 2010s, a Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) project was implemented considering the economical, technical and future management feasibility. It focused on recovering the monumental chestnut groves and the wooded pastures, but also on interventions to increase the touristic attractiveness (paths management, Historical Landscape Museum creation, traditional buildings for chestnut drying restoration). The area was also inscribed in 2016 in the National list of Historical Rural Landscape established by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture. The analyses of the 2013–2023 landscape changes demonstrated that 4 ha of historical chestnut groves and 6.5 ha of wooded pastures have been recently restored, bringing their total surface to 17 ha and to 67 ha, respectively. In addition, results demonstrate that forestation completely stopped in the last 10 years. Other interventions are planned for the future: maintenance of chestnut groves, rehabilitation of other wooded pastures, re-introduction of the traditional practice of pollarding on ten beech trees. This study represents the first assessment of the FLR carried out in Moscheta, and demonstrates that the restoration of open spaces and of cultural forests is possible and could have a big impact on mountain cultural landscapes, contributing to the preservation and enhancement of ecosystem services and of touristic attractiveness, with potential direct benefits on the local economy.

Trunk Injection Delivery of Biocontrol Strains of Trichoderma spp. Effectively Suppresses Nut Rot by Gnomoniopsis castaneae in Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.).

Gnomoniopsis castaneae is responsible for brown or chalky nut rot in sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa), causing heavy reductions in nut production. Controlling it is challenging, due to its inconspicuous infections, erratic colonization of host tissues and endophytic lifestyle. Fungicides are not applicable because they are prohibited in chestnut forests and strongly discouraged in fruit chestnut groves. Trichoderma species are safe and wide-spectrum biocontrol agents (BCAs), with a variety of beneficial effects in plant protection. This study tested selected strains of T. viride, T. harzianum and T. atroviride for their ability to suppress G. castaneae. Field experiments were conducted in four chestnut groves (two test plots plus two controls) at two sites with a different microclimate. As the size of the trees were a major drawback for uniform and effective treatments, the Trichoderma strains were delivered directly by trunk injection, using the BITE® (Blade for Infusion in TrEes) endotherapic tool. The BCA application, repeated twice in two subsequent years, significantly reduced nut rot incidence, with a more marked, presumably cumulative, effect in the second year. Our data showed the tested Trichoderma strains retain great potential for the biological control of G. castaneae in chestnut groves. The exploitation of Trichoderma spp. as biopesticides is a novelty in the forestry sector and proves the benefits of these microbes in plant disease protection.

Physiological variations in hypovirus-infected wild and model long-term laboratory strains of Cryphonectria parasitica.

Forest ecosystems are highly threatened by the simultaneous effects of climate change and invasive pathogens. Chestnut blight, caused by the invasive phytopathogenic fungus Cryphonectria parasitica, has caused severe damage to European chestnut groves and catastrophic dieback of American chestnut in North America. Within Europe, the impacts of the fungus are widely mitigated through biological control that utilizes the RNA mycovirus: Cryphonectria hypovirus 1 (CHV1). Viral infections, similarly to abiotic factors, can cause oxidative stress in their hosts leading to physiological attrition through stimulating ROS (reactive oxygen species) and NOx production. To fully understand the interactions leading to the biocontrol of chestnut blight, it is vital to determine oxidative stress damage arising during CHV1 infection, especially considering that other abiotic factors, like long-term cultivation of model fungal strains, can also impact oxidative stress. Our study compared CHV1-infected C. parasitica isolates from two Croatian wild populations with CHV1-infected model strains (EP713, Euro7 and CR23) that have experienced long-term laboratory cultivation. We determined the level of oxidative stress in the samples by measuring stress enzymes' activity and oxidative stress biomarkers. Furthermore, for the wild populations, we studied the activity of fungal laccases, expression of the laccase gene lac1, and a possible effect of CHV1 intra-host diversity on the observed biochemical responses. Relative to the wild isolates, the long-term model strains had lower enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST), and higher content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and total non-protein thiols. This indicated generally higher oxidative stress, likely arising from their decades-long history of subculturing and freeze-thaw cycles. When comparing the two wild populations, differences between them in stress resilience and levels of oxidative stress were also observed, as evident from the different MDA content. The intra-host genetic diversity of the CHV1 had no discernible effect on the stress levels of the virus-infected fungal cultures. Our research indicated that an important determinant modulating both lac1 expression and laccase enzyme activity is intrinsic to the fungus itself, possibly related to the vc type of the fungus, i.e., vegetative incompatibility genotype.

Effect of two rearing systems on quality of Cinta Senese sausages

Effect of two rearing systems on quality of Cinta Senese sausages

Performance of Pheromone-Baited Traps to Monitor the Seasonal Abundance of Tortrix Moths in Chestnut Groves

Simple SummaryInvestigations were performed in 2018–2019 in chestnut groves in northern Italy to monitor the seasonal flight activity of Pammene fasciana (L.), Cydia fagiglandana (Zeller), and C. splendana (Hübner) with pheromone-baited traps. Commercially available and experimental pheromone blends were tested. Newly formed chestnut husks and fruits were randomly collected to evaluate damage. Damage was correlated with trap catches. P. fasciana was present in all the sites, while Cydia species were recorded in three of six sites, with differences in abundance related to pheromone blends studied. Several morphologically similar non-target species occurred, highlighting the risk of overestimating catches. Fruit damage did not correlate with trap captures, suggesting that monitoring probably underestimates the true size of the moths’ populations. These data contribute to ascertaining the presence of tortrix moths in northern Italian chestnut groves, and are important for planning specific control measures.(1) Background: Pammene fasciana (L.), Cydia fagiglandana (Zeller), and C. splendana (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) are considered key moth pests of chestnut in Europe. (2) Methods: Investigations were performed in 2018–2019 in northern Italy. Sticky traps and commercially available pheromones were used for monitoring; moreover, two experimental pheromone blends were tested. All specimens were identified according to male genitalia and molecular analyses. Newly formed chestnut husks and fruits were randomly collected to evaluate the presence of larvae and/or feeding damage, by comparing it to trap catches. (3) Results: P. fasciana was present in all the sites, whereas Cydia species were recorded in three sites of six, with differences in abundance related to pheromone blends studied. Several non-target species, such as Oegoconia novimundi (Busck) and Cydia ilipulana (Walsingham), were present. Data about the seasonal flight activity are provided. (4) Conclusions: This research contributes to ascertaining the presence and abundance of tortrix moths in Italian chestnut groves, and the presence of non-target species highlights the risk of overestimating catches. Fruit damage recorded did not always reflect catches made by pheromone traps, suggesting that monitoring may underestimate the real size of moths’ populations. All of the data acquired are important for planning specific control measures.

Interactions between land use, pathogens, and climate change in the Monte Pisano, Italy 1850–2000

Climate change, land use change, invasive species, and pests can combine to cause changes in species distributions. However, unlike climate change, future land use and ecological interactions are unpredictable. One strategy for confronting this unpredictability is to use interdisciplinary approaches. In this paper we demonstrate how historical ecology and SDM modeling can be combined to reconstruct the impacts of land use change, invasive pathogens, and climate change upon the landscape of the Monte Pisano of Central Italy over the last two centuries. Species distribution and climate modeling are combined with early nineteenth century land use records and oral history, in order to reconstruct changes in species distributions of sweet chestnut and maritime pine on the Monte Pisano (Central Italy). The extent of pine forest tripled while chestnut forest halved since 1850. Climatic conditions changed, with temperatures increasing by over 1.5 °C. These climatic changes are insufficient to account for the shift in chestnut and pine distribution, which was mainly driven by socioeconomic change that caused changes in land use, a process accelerated by pathogens that eliminated low elevation chestnut groves. In Mediterranean mountains, where human activities have impacted biota for a long time, changes in land management and climate change interacting on different temporal scales, can affect the magnitude of changes in species distributions. The effects of climate change can be partially addressed through changing land use, including by reducing fire frequency or improved phytosanitary controls.

Leaves and Spiny Burs of Castanea Sativa from an Experimental Chestnut Grove: Metabolomic Analysis and Anti-Neuroinflammatory Activity.

Castanea sativa cultivation has been present in Mediterranean regions since ancient times. In order to promote a circular economy, it is of great importance to valorize chestnut groves’ by-products. In this study, leaves and spiny burs from twenty-four Castanea trees were analyzed by 1H NMR metabolomics to provide an overview of their phytochemical profile. The Orthogonal Projections to Latent Structures Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) performed on these data allowed us to distinguish ‘Marrone’ from ‘Castagna’, since the latter were generally more enriched with secondary metabolites, in particular, flavonoids (astragalin, isorhamnetin glucoside, and myricitrin) were dominant. Knowing that microglia are involved in mediating the oxidative and inflammatory response of the central nervous system, the potential anti-inflammatory effects of extracts derived from leaves and spiny burs were evaluated in a neuroinflammatory cell model: BV-2 microglia cells. The tested extracts showed cytoprotective activity (at 0.1 and 0.5 mg/mL) after inflammation induction by 5 µg/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In addition, the transcriptional levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and NF-kB expression induced by LPS were significantly decreased by cell incubation with spiny burs and leaves extracts. Taken together, the obtained results are promising and represent an important step to encourage recycling and valorization of chestnut byproducts, usually considered “waste”.

Geochemical behavior and fate of trace elements in naturally contaminated soils under projected land-use changes

PURPOSE: This paper focuses on determining the geochemical fractionation pattern of trace elements (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Tl, and Zn) naturally occurring at elevated levels in chestnut grove soils of SW Spain. The goal was to explore how environmental changes triggered by land use and management decisions might affect the resilience and adaptive capacity of soil to retain geogenic trace elements. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two plausible scenarios were considered: conversion of forestland to cropland (scenario I) and mining area (scenario II). The potential for trace element removal under the assumed scenarios was assessed by chemical extraction procedures designed to simulate the combined effects of experimentally induced pH and redox changes. Trace elements were partitioned into residual and labile fractions using a five-step sequential extraction scheme optimized for soils enriched in well-crystallized Fe oxides, and their concentrations in the soil extract solutions were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Most metals are tightly bonded to residual and reducible phases, indicating that silicate minerals and Fe oxy-hydroxides, respectively, played a remarkable role in the metal geo-accumulation. Limited mobilization and dispersion of exchangeable and acid-soluble contaminants would be expected to occur through releases or accidental spills from hazardous wastes. An increase in the oxidation state of the soil environment would affect the stability of the organic matter involving the release of the associated trace elements, particularly Cu. Upon reducing conditions induced by land-degradation processes, reductive dissolution of Fe oxy-hydroxides could release large proportions (45–60%) of adsorbed and occluded potentially harmful elements, notably As, Pb, and Cd. CONCLUSIONS: The increasing abandonment of the chestnut groves constitutes a driving force for environmental changes that might affect the geochemical status of the trace elements stored in the soil. Soil could shift from a sink to a source of harmful contaminants over time. This fact should be considered by local stakeholders engaged in planning and decision-making on future land uses.

La pianificazione ai fini della valorizzazione delle risorse legnose in Sicilia: un caso di studio su popolamenti di castagno dei Nebrodi

In Sicily, forest planning still has too many gaps. This study proposes both to make a contribution to the current cognitive framework of the Nebrodi chestnut groves, and to draw up a management plan that is still lacking in order to identify forestry addresses and sustainable management necessary to maintain and defend these forest formations.

Emerging new crown symptoms on Castanea sativa (Mill.): Attempting to model interactions among pests and fungal pathogens

In the 2015–2016 growing seasons, two novel symptoms were assessed on the crown of trees in orchards and coppices of chestnut groves in Central Italy. The first symptom was flagging of annual shoots with green leaves undergoing sudden wilt and turning brown later in the season. The second symptom consisted of leaves on annual shoots turning yellow before wilting in absence of flagging represented the second symptom. Samples were collected along transects in early summer, late summer and winter, and processed in the laboratory. The flagging symptom was associated in early summer with the presence of C. parasitica in cryptic dried buds on stems from the previous year's growth. The pathogen was also found in dormant buds in winter, suggesting that the infection could take place in summer during the Chinese gall wasp oviposition period. Cryphonectria parasitica was also isolated from abandoned galls in winter supporting the hypothesis that galls are a potential source of inoculum for crown infections. Aetiology of yellowing was not clarified and no fungal taxa were specifically associated with this symptom. Gnomoniopsis castanea, C. parasitica and, in early summer, Colletotrichum acutatum were the most abundant fungal taxa isolated from chestnut shoots and buds.

Short communication: Functional genetic diversity of chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) populations from southern Spain

Aim of the study: To evaluate the adaptive genetic variability of chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) populations from southern Spain in relation to bud burst and water stress.Area of study: Andalusia (southern Spain) where many chestnut groves were progressively abandoned and have become ‘naturalized’.Material and methods: A total of 126 chestnut trees from eight populations were assessed by means of nine genic microsatellite loci (expressed sequence tag simple sequence repeat markers) related to bud burst and water stress.Main results: Significant differences in genetic diversity were detected within and among populations, not found with neutral microsatellite markers. The structure analysis indicated the presence of two different gene pools.Research highlights: These results could contribute to the development of conservation strategies for this species in southern areas exposed to the effects of climate change. The genetic diversity of these populations could be useful in minimizing this risk and other predictable factors related to global change.

Diagnosing the nutritional condition of chestnut groves by soil and leaf analyses

Abstract Chestnuts have always been a marginal fruit crop, and the trees seldom fertilized as a result. Few studies have been devoted to the management of soil fertility and the nutritional status of this crop. This work reports results of soil and plant analyses of a population of respectively 1041 and 198 soil and leaf samples taken across nine municipalities in the district of Braganca, NE Portugal. A second population of 80 soil, leaf and fruit (only 64) samples were taken across the three most productive municipalities in the district of Braganca, from the same orchards, to allow the establishment of relationships between soil fertility parameters and the nutritional status of the trees. The results of the two soil populations showed high soil acidity, low organic matter content, low phosphorus and high potassium content. A high percentage of leaf samples showed concentrations of nutrients below the lower limit of the sufficiency range in both the first and second sample populations, for nitrogen (respectively 63 and 47%), phosphorus (18 and 15%), potassium (34 and 31%), calcium (19 and 52%), magnesium (21 and 13%) and boron (40 and 43%). In the case of boron, 6 and 8% of leaf samples of the first and second populations displayed values within the excessive concentration range. The results of this work also revealed absence or poor relationships between soil properties and/or soil available nutrients and leaf concentration of nutrients. In this crop, therefore, it seems necessary to start applying regular fertilization programs, mainly based on regular evaluation of the nutritional status of trees through leaf analysis.

Fungal community in chestnut orchards with different Hypholoma fasciculare aboveground abundance: potential implications for sustainable production

European chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) trees have a significant impact in the Portuguese economy, due to the production of chestnuts and wood, and other related activities, such as mushroom collection and hunt. Hypholoma fasciculare (Huds.) is a saprophytic fungus widely distributed in Tras-os-Montes (northeast of Portugal) chestnut groves that displays an in vitro strong antagonistic activity against ectomycorrhizal (EMC) fungi. In this study, the above- and belowground fungal diversity was evaluated in three chestnut orchards, containing distinct H. fasciculare sporocarps abundances in an attempt to better understand the potential of this fungus to attain an improved chestnut tree sustainable productivity. Aboveground analysis was performed based on macrofungi collection during fruiting seasons (spring and autumn) of two consecutive years. Belowground evaluation was based on the metabarcoding of chestnut orchards soil DNA, using the fungal barcode ITS1 and a high-throughput sequencing (454-sequencing) approach. Although all collected fruitbodies were identified as being produced by Basidiomycota fungi, a more diversified fungal community was revealed by the belowground approach. Both approaches have revealed a rich and abundant ECM community in all chestnut orchards. The correlation between the abundance of H. fasciculare fruitbodies and specific fungal guilds fruitbodies/reads suggests that this fungus may affect soil fungal community, mainly ECM and phytoparasites, as well as species composition of fungal communities. Although not conclusive, the results suggest that H. fasciculare presence could be critical for sustainable chestnut ecosystems.

Cancro do castanheiro na região do Minho: Estrutura populacional e variabilidade genética de populações de Cryphonectria parasitica

Cryphonectria parasitica, the causal agent of chestnut blight, was considered one of the main factors of mortality of Castanea sativa. Introduced in Portugal in the 1990s, and with epidemic development, the disease has manifested high aggressiveness and a rapid dispersion. Currently it has a widespread distribution in the chestnut production regions. Chemical, physical and cultural control means are not effective to control Chestnut Blight and only biological control by hypovirulence has shown to be effective in Europe. The spread of the hypovirus is directly linked to the vegetative compatibility types (VCType) of the fungal populations, so there is a need to study the population structure of C. parasitica and identify the VCTypes present in each subpopulation. The incidence of Chestnut Blight was assessed in three chestnut groves in the Minho region, and the C. parasitica isolates obtained were further characterized. Each isolate was allocated to a VCType by matching with reference isolates, and the genetic variability of selected isolates was evaluated by BOX-PCR. The isolates obtained were functionally diverse comprising over five VCType, with EU-11 (62%), followed by EU-2 (20%), EU-1 e EU- 66 (5,5%) and EU-12 (7%). Banding patterns obtained by box-PCR fingerprinting did not reflect geographical origin or the VCType of the isolate.

Möglichkeiten zur Holzmobilisierung im Tessiner Kastaniengürtel

Timber mobilization possibilities for the chestnut belt of Ticino Many of the traditionally managed chestnut groves and coppice forests in the canton of Ticino have been abandoned in the second half of the 20th century. The ensuing natural development resulted in homogenized stand structures across the landscape, increasing growing stocks and diminishing provision of ecosystem services (e.g. timber, protection from gravitational hazards, nature conservation and recreation services). We used a forest growth simulator (“Massimo”) to simulate a range of management scenarios and possible consequences. Under the current low intensity management growing stocks and tree mortality continue to increase, which – at a large scale – could further reduce the protection and other services and increase the risk of forest fires. This process could be countered with more intense management practices, yet facing relatively high timber harvesting costs. An optimized forest management in the chestnut belt would require the definition of the dominating forest functions, the designation of priority areas and monetary compensation schemes for the provision of the respective forest ecosystem services.

Factors underlying migratory bat aggregations in chestnut groves

ESR Endangered Species Research Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsSpecials ESR 21:105-114 (2013) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00496 Factors underlying migratory bat aggregations in chestnut groves Susanne Szentkuti1,*, Fabio Bontadina1,2*,**, Martina Spada3, Marco Moretti4, Nicola Zambelli5, Adriano Martinoli3, Raphaël Arlettaz1 1Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Division of Conservation Biology, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland 2SWILD, Urban Ecology & Wildlife Research, Wuhrstrasse 12, 8003 Zurich, Switzerland 3Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Università degli Studi dell’Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy 4WSL Swiss Federal Research Institute, Community Ecology Unit, Via Belsoggiorno 22, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland 5Centro protezione chirotteri Ticino (CPT), 6714 Semione, Switzerland *These authors contributed equally to this study**Corresponding author. Email: fabio.bontadina@swild.ch ABSTRACT: Deciduous woodlands have undergone major structural changes in Europe in the course of the last century. Dense woodlands have, for instance, replaced traditionally managed, open sweet chestnut groves, and have led to biodiversity losses. Surveys carried out in the southern Alps have shown that the frequency of occurrence of the rare migratory Leisler’s bat Nyctalus leisleri in bat boxes is much higher in managed than in unmanaged chestnut groves, pointing to the importance of traditional groves as stopover sites. To identify the reasons for this habitat preference we investigated whether managed chestnut groves constitute a more appropriate foraging ground than closed stands, and whether bat boxes in managed chestnut groves offer more suitable temperature conditions for roosting. Foraging habitat selection and roost usage were investigated by means of radiotracking and temperature loggers, respectively. Foraging Leisler’s bats predominantly selected deciduous woodlands over other habitat types, but showed no distinct preference for either type of chestnut grove over other forest types. In managed chestnut groves, bats used cooler boxes than others available in the same habitat, but there was no difference in temperature between the boxes used in managed versus unmanaged groves. Our results provide no evidence that foraging opportunities or roost temperature dictate the forest-specific pattern of bat box occupancy. As an alternative explanation, we suggest that managed chestnut groves may represent optimal lekking arenas due to their open structure and high roost density. Whatever the reason for this habitat preference, partially maintaining traditional management, resulting in a semi-open, mosaic landscape, is likely key to maintaining chestnut groves attractive for this migratory bat. KEY WORDS: Habitat selection · Radiotracking · Open forest stand · Management · Chiroptera · Castanea sativa · Leislers bat · Nyctalus leisleri Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Szentkuti S, Bontadina F, Spada M, Moretti M, Zambelli N, Martinoli A, Arlettaz R (2013) Factors underlying migratory bat aggregations in chestnut groves. Endang Species Res 21:105-114. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00496 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in ESR Vol. 21, No. 2. Online publication date: August 13, 2013 Print ISSN: 1863-5407; Online ISSN: 1613-4796 Copyright © 2013 Inter-Research.

Araneae communities associated with the canopies of chestnut trees in the northeastern part of Portugal: The influence of soil management practices

Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) is one of the economically more important trees in the north of Portugal. Spiders, as generalist predators, are potential controlling agents of pests, yet the composition of the community of spiders associated with this crop is only poorly known. The objective of this study was to determine the spider communities in the canopies of chestnut trees subject to three different soil management practices in northeastern Portugal. Three chestnut groves each subject to a different agricultural practice (grazed, tilled or untilled) were studied in 2008 and 2009. The Araneae communities were sampled by beating the branches and the individuals collected were identified to family and species when possible. To investigate the structure of the spider community in each grove the abundance and family richness of spiders were calculated and compared between managements. In total, 4172 spiders were collected and, in both years, the three most abundant families were Araneidae, Philodromidae and Linyphiidae. In 2008, there was a greater abundance of spiders in the grazed, followed by the tilled and untilled groves, but no significant differences among groves. However, in 2009 there was a greater abundance of spiders in the tilled grove, followed by grazed and untilled groves and the differences between the untilled and the other two groves were significant. Araniella, Oxyopes and Anyphaena were the most abundant genera in the three groves. This study showed that soil management may influence the diversity of spiders, but the effects were weak and not consistent between years. The reduction or absence of a suitable habitat for spiders under the trees in the tilled treatment might have resulted in the spiders migrating up into the canopy. However, based on the weak effects on spider abundance recorded and its potentially adverse effects on soils, tillage is not recommended for managing the incidence of pests in chestnut groves.

Pyrosequencing of environmental soil samples reveals biodiversity of thePhytophthoraresident community in chestnut forests

Pyrosequencing analysis was performed on soils from Italian chestnut groves to evaluate the diversity of the resident Phytophthora community. Sequences analysed with a custom database discriminated 15 pathogenic Phytophthoras including species common to chestnut soils, while a total of nine species were detected with baiting. The two sites studied differed in Phytophthora diversity and the presence of specific taxa responded to specific ecological traits of the sites. Furthermore, some species not previously recorded were represented by a discrete number of reads; among these species, Phytophthora ramorum was detected at both sites. Pyrosequencing was demonstrated to be a very sensitive technique to describe the Phytophthora community in soil and was able to detect species not easy to be isolated from soil with standard baiting techniques. In particular, pyrosequencing is an highly efficient tool for investigating the colonization of new environments by alien species, and for ecological and adaptive studies coupled with biological detection methods. This study represents the first application of pyrosequencing for describing Phytophthoras in environmental soil samples.

A NEW SPECIES OF MOTH AS INSECT PEST OF CHESTNUT IN SICILY (ITALY)

A survey on the insect pests of chestnut fruit in the chestnut groves of Mount Etna (Sicily, Italy) has been carried out for five years using pheromone traps for the most common chestnut pests belonging to Lepidoptera Tortricidae, namely Pammene fasciana (L.), Cydia splendana (Hb.), Cydia fagiglandana (Zel.), and examining the larvae present in the fruits. The latter approach was useful to reveal the presence of larvae of Curculio elephas (Gyll.) and of C. glandium Marsh.; The latter species had never been reported before from chestnut in Italy. Most of the adult moths captured in the pheromone traps were found in the traps for P. fasciana and consequently attributed to this species. Since, however, no larvae of P. fasciana but many larvae of a different, unidentifiable, species were found in the fruits, during 2007 a more punctual study was conducted on adults and larvae, both with morphological and molecular approach. This study assessed that the adults found in the traps for P. fasciana and the unknown larvae were conspecific, different from P. fasciana, and that they belong to a still undescribed species of the genus Pammene Hubner.