Toumeyella parvicornis versus endotherapic abamectin: three techniques, 1 year after

Abstract

BackgroundToumeyella parvicornis is an invasive soft scale insect native to North America that is rapidly spreading in Italy and France, provoking severe infestations on Pinus pinea L. To date, the control of this pest is entrusted to three endotherapic techniques whose short‐term efficacy is partially known. No information on long‐term efficacy is currently available, although fundamental. This work aims to report on the long‐term effect that abamectin‐based insecticides, injected with the three different techniques, have on adult female populations.ResultsThe study was carried out in an infested P. pinea forest in the area of Rome, Italy. Results showed that the tested methods had a similar long‐term effect, and only in one case there were differences with the untreated control. Multiresidue analysis reported a zero level of abamectin in plant tissues 14 months apart from injection, except for one treatment where pesticide concentration was just above the limit of quantification.ConclusionsThis study represents the first long‐term evaluation about endotherapic control strategy against T. parvicornis. In fact, the pest may quickly bring the death and fall of the stone pines, representing a concerning risk for citizens, however, control actions to manage it are still partially known and deserve more in‐depth investigations. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Are the ladybugs Cryptolaemus montrouzieri and Exochomus quadripustulatus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) candidate predators of Toumeyella parvicornis (Hemiptera: Coccidae)?

“…Cryptolaemus montrouzieri is also common in pinewood forest, 29 and effective on mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) 35 such as Planococcus citri (Risso, 1813), Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green, 1908) 25 or Crisicoccus pini (Kuwana, 1902) 29 . Partial evidence of the activity of this predator on T. parvicornis has been ascertained in Italy, 36 and qualitatively observed during our standard monitoring campaigns 1,17 …”

“…Notably, this control technique consists of an injection of a blend of active ingredients and adjuvants into the plant vessels, so that the insecticide can be carried up to the crown and ingested by the pest through its piercing sucking mouthparts 1,15 . Endotherapy is a control technique suitable for applications in an urban context, where control actions are often limited by national and regional regulations, 1,16 but the short persistence of the active ingredient on stone pine plants 1,15,17 requires frequent treatments.…”