BURSAPHELENCHUS SPECIES (NEMATODA: APHELENCHIDA) ASSOCIATED WITH AN OLIVE TREE IN CENTRAL ITALY

Olive cultivation is of great economic, ecological, and cultural interest in Italy, as well as in the rest of the Mediterranean basin. Among the pests of olive trees, several groups of insects, mites, and nematodes have been reported. Phytoparasitic nematodes especially of the genera Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, Helicotylenchus, Xiphinema, Tylenchulus, Rotylenchulus, and Heterodera have usually been extracted from roots and soil around trees. On the other hand, no information is available concerning nematodes directly associated with the wood. At the end of September 2018, in a high-density cultivated olive grove in Tuscany (central Italy), several olive trees with decline symptoms were observed. Three Bursaphelenchus species, B. fungivorus, B. minutus, and B. sexdentati were extracted from the wood of one dead tree. Even though these species had already been reported in Italy, these findings were the first ones recorded in olive wood. Moreover, another undescribed Bursaphelenchusspecies was found associated with the bark beetle Hylesinus fraxini collected from olive trunks and branches. Further research is needed to investigate the role of insects and Bursaphelenchus spp. in the decline processes of olive trees.

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Identification of Arthrinium marii as Causal Agent of Olive Tree Dieback in Apulia (Southern Italy)

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-03-19-0569-re ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 104 (3) ◽

pp. 694-701

Author(s):

Donato Gerin ◽

Franco Nigro ◽

Francesco Faretra ◽

Stefania Pollastro

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Basin ◽

Southern Italy ◽

Olive Tree ◽

Agricultural Communities ◽

Tree Dieback ◽

Olive Cultivation ◽

Olive Trees ◽

Genomic Regions ◽

The Mediterranean Basin ◽

Fungal Genus

Olive (Olea europaea L. var. sativa) is one of the most economically important tree crops grown in the Mediterranean basin. Arthrinium Kunze ex Fr. (teleomorph: Apiospora Sacc.) is a widespread fungal genus, and Arthrinium marii Larrondo & Calvo is a ubiquitous species, found in algae, soil, plants, and agricultural communities. A. marii was isolated from olive trees showing dieback from orchards located in Andria and in Fasano, Brindisi (Apulia, southern Italy) and identified based on morphological features and molecular analysis of four genomic regions (ITS, TUB2, TEF1, and LSU). Two-year-old olive plants artificially inoculated with three representative A. marii isolates showed complete dieback within 6 months, and the fungus was reisolated, satisfying Koch’s postulates. This is the first report of A. marii causing dieback on olive trees that could represent an important threat for olive cultivation.

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Mediterranean Olive Orchards under Climate Change: A Review of Future Impacts and Adaptation Strategies

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11010056 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 56

Author(s):

Helder Fraga ◽

Marco Moriondo ◽

Luisa Leolini ◽

João A. Santos

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Mediterranean Basin ◽

Olive Tree ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Adaptation Strategies ◽

Adaptation Measures ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Projected Changes ◽

The Mediterranean Basin ◽

Impacts Of Climate Change

The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is an ancient traditional crop in the Mediterranean Basin. In the Mediterranean region, traditional olive orchards are distinguishable by their prevailing climatic conditions. Olive trees are indeed considered one of the most suitable and best-adapted species to the Mediterranean-type climate. However, new challenges are predicted to arise from climate change, threatening this traditional crop. The Mediterranean Basin is considered a climate change “hotspot,” as future projections hint at considerable warming and drying trends. Changes in olive tree suitability have already been reported over the last few decades. In this context, climate change may become particularly challenging for olive growers. The growing evidence for significant climate change in the upcoming decades urges adaptation measures to be taken. To effectively cope with the projected changes, both short and long-term adaptation strategies must be timely planned by the sector stakeholders and decision-makers to adapt for a warmer and dryer future. The current manuscript is devoted to illustrating the main impacts of climate change on olive tree cultivation in the Mediterranean Basin, by reviewing the most recent studies on this subject. Additionally, an analysis of possible adaptation strategies against the potentially negative impacts of climate change was also performed.

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Mediterranean Heathland as a Key Habitat for Fire Adaptations: Evidence from an Experimental Approach

Forests ◽

10.3390/f11070748 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 748

Author(s):

Susana Gómez-González ◽

Maria Paniw ◽

Mario Durán ◽

Sergio Picó ◽

Irene Martín-Rodríguez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heat Shock ◽

Seed Size ◽

Mediterranean Basin ◽

Fire Ecology ◽

Mediterranean Region ◽

Plant Evolution ◽

Fire Adaptations ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

The Mediterranean Basin

Some fire ecology studies that have focused on garrigue-like vegetation suggest a weak selective pressure of fire in the Mediterranean Basin compared to other Mediterranean-type regions. However, fire-prone Mediterranean heathland from the western end of the Mediterranean Basin has been frequently ignored in the fire ecology literature despite its high proportion of pyrogenic species. Here, we explore the evolutionary ecology of seed traits in the generalist rockrose Cistus salviifolius L. (Cistaceae) aiming to ascertain the role of the Mediterranean heathland for fire adaptations in the Mediterranean Region. We performed a germination experiment to compare the relationship of seed size to (i) heat-stimulated germination, (ii) dormancy strength, and (iii) heat survival in plants from ‘high-fire’ heathland vs. ‘low-fire’ coastal shrubland. Germination after heat-shock treatment was higher in large seeds of both ‘high-fire’ and ‘low-fire’ habitats. However, dormancy was weaker in small seeds from ‘low-fire’ habitats. Finally, seed survival to heat shock was positively related to seed size. Our results support that seed size is an adaptive trait to fire in C. salviifolius, since larger seeds had stronger dormancy, higher heat-stimulated germination and were more resistant to heat shock. This seed size–fire relationship was tighter in ‘high-fire’ Mediterranean heathland than ‘low-fire’ coastal shrubland, indicating the existence of differential fire pressures and evolutionary trends at the landscape scale. These findings highlight the Mediterranean heathland as a relevant habitat for fire-driven evolution, thus contributing to better understand the role of fire in plant evolution within the Mediterranean region.

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Genetic flow among olive populations within the Mediterranean basin

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.5260 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. e5260 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Valentina di Rienzo ◽

Sara Sion ◽

Francesca Taranto ◽

Nunzio D’Agostino ◽

Cinzia Montemurro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Genetic Resources ◽

Mediterranean Basin ◽

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Olive Tree ◽

Gene Pools ◽

The North ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

And Migration ◽

The Mediterranean Basin

Background The olive tree is a typical crop of the Mediterranean basin where it shows a wide diversity, accounting for more than 2,600 cultivars. The ability to discriminate olive cultivars and determine their genetic variability is pivotal for an optimal exploitation of olive genetic resources. Methods We investigated the genetic diversity within 128 olive accessions belonging to four countries in the Mediterranean Basin (Italy, Algeria, Syria, and Malta), with the purpose of better understanding the origin and spread of the olive genotypes across Mediterranean Basin countries. Eleven highly polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used and proved to be very informative, producing a total of 179 alleles. Results Cluster analysis distinguished three main groups according to their geographical origin, with the current sample of Maltese accessions included in the Italian group. Phylogenetic analysis further differentiated Italian and Maltese olive accessions, clarifying the intermediate position of Maltese accessions along the x/y-axes of principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). Model-based and neighbor clustering, PCoA, and migration analysis suggested the existence of two different gene pools (Algerian and Syrian) and that the genetic exchange occurred between the Syrian, Italian and Maltese populations. Discussion The close relationship between Syrian and Italian and Maltese olives was consistent with the historical domestication and migration of olive tree from the North Levant to eastern Mediterranean basin. This study lays the foundations for a better understanding of olive genetic diversity in the Mediterranean basin and represents a step toward an optimal conservation and exploitation of olive genetic resources.

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Crucial Role of Extended Criteria Donors in Deceased Donor Single Kidney Transplantation to Face Chronic Shortage in the Heart of the Mediterranean Basin: A Single-Center Experience

Transplantation Proceedings ◽

10.1016/j.transproceed.2019.02.075 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 51 (9) ◽

pp. 2868-2872

Author(s):

Pasquale Bonsignore ◽

Duilio Pagano ◽

Salvatore Piazza ◽

Calogero Ricotta ◽

Fabrizio di Francesco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Kidney Transplantation ◽

Crucial Role ◽

Mediterranean Basin ◽

Deceased Donor ◽

Single Center ◽

Extended Criteria Donors ◽

Single Center Experience ◽

Single Kidney ◽

The Mediterranean Basin

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The origin and spread of olive cultivation in the Mediterranean Basin: The fossil pollen evidence

The Holocene ◽

10.1177/0959683619826654 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (5) ◽

pp. 902-922 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Dafna Langgut ◽

Rachid Cheddadi ◽

Josѐ Sebastián Carrión ◽

Mark Cavanagh ◽

Daniele Colombaroli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Basin ◽

Large Scale ◽

Fossil Pollen ◽

Southern Levant ◽

Secondary Products ◽

Early Management ◽

Olive Cultivation ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

The Mediterranean Basin ◽

Pollen Records

Olive ( Olea europaea L.) was one of the most important fruit trees in the ancient Mediterranean region and a founder species of horticulture in the Mediterranean Basin. Different views have been expressed regarding the geographical origins and timing of olive cultivation. Since genetic studies and macro-botanical remains point in different directions, we turn to another proxy – the palynological evidence. This study uses pollen records to shed new light on the history of olive cultivation and large-scale olive management. We employ a fossil pollen dataset composed of high-resolution pollen records obtained across the Mediterranean Basin covering most of the Holocene. Human activity is indicated when Olea pollen percentages rise fairly suddenly, are not accompanied by an increase of other Mediterranean sclerophyllous trees, and when the rise occurs in combination with consistent archaeological and archaeobotanical evidence. Based on these criteria, our results show that the southern Levant served as the locus of primary olive cultivation as early as ~6500 years BP (yBP), and that a later, early/mid 6th millennium BP cultivation process occurred in the Aegean (Crete) – whether as an independent large-scale management event or as a result of knowledge and/or seedling transfer from the southern Levant. Thus, the early management of olive trees corresponds to the establishment of the Mediterranean village economy and the completion of the ‘secondary products revolution’, rather than urbanization or state formation. From these two areas of origin, the southern Levant and the Aegean olive cultivation spread across the Mediterranean, with the beginning of olive horticulture in the northern Levant dated to ~4800 yBP. In Anatolia, large-scale olive horticulture was palynologically recorded by ~3200 yBP, in mainland Italy at ~3400 yBP, and in the Iberian Peninsula at mid/late 3rd millennium BP.

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Palaega pisana n. sp. (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cirolanidae) from the Pliocene of Orciano Pisano, Pisa (Toscana, Central Italy)

Natural History Sciences ◽

10.4081/nhs.2012.3 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 153 (1) ◽

pp. 3 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Giovanni Pasini ◽

Alessandro Garassino

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Basin ◽

Central Italy ◽

Late Cenozoic ◽

New Form ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

The Mediterranean Basin

We report a new form of cirolanid ascribed to<em> Palaega pisana</em> n. sp. (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cirolanidae) from the Pliocene of Orciano Pisano, Pisa (Toscana, Central Italy). This is the second species of <em>Palaega Woodward</em>, 1870, reported from the Pliocene of Tuscany and Italy, increasing the very sparce palaeontological data on presence and distribution of the genus in the Mediterranean Basin during the Late Cenozoic.

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