Olive anthracnose induced by different Colletotrichum species causes dramatic losses of fruit yield and oil quality. The increasing incidence of Colletotrichum fioriniae ( Colletotrichum acutatum species complex) as causal agent of olive anthracnose in Italy, is endorsing new studies on its biology, ecology, and environmental factors such as temperature. Five isolates from different sampling sites in Lazio region (Central Italy) were studied under controlled laboratory conditions aiming to better understand the differences of thermal development among the isolates and to lay the foundations of a future mathematical model able to describe the key aspects of the pathogen's life cycle. The mycelial growth rate and the conidial germination rate were assessed at seven different constant temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35°C) and fixed relative humidity (100% RH). The obtained dataset was analysed to estimate the parameters of mathematical functions that connect the mycelial growth rate and the spore germination with the environmental temperature. The parameters set provided as the result of this study constitute a key step forward in the biological knowledge of the species and the basis for future formulations of mathematical models that might be the core of decision support systems in an integrated pest management framework.

Prunus persica (peach) is a major fruit species in global agriculture, with Spain and Italy being the leading producers in the European Union. As agriculture is subject to increasing pressure to reduce agrochemicals, effective management of diseases such as twig canker and shoot blight (TCSB) becomes crucial. Diaporthe amygdali , the primary fungal pathogen responsible for TCSB, causes a significant dieback of shoots, flowers, leaves, and branches, typically during late winter or early spring. Despite its considerable impact, there is a lack of comprehensive knowledge on the biological characteristics of this pathogen in Italian peach orchards. This study aimed to address these gaps by characterizing D. amygdali isolates from symptomatic trees in a productive region of northern Italy, Emilia Romagna. Morphological and molecular analyses were conducted, and mycelial extension was assessed at different temperatures to assess optimal growth conditions. The findings provide valuable insights into the thermal responses of D. amygdali , contributing to the development of decision support systems for more precise and targeted disease control strategies.

The capability of entomopathogenic fungi to live as plant endophytes is well established. However, their presence in undiscovered environmental niches represents the beginning of a new challenging research journey. Recently, Akanthomyces muscarius (Ascomycota, Cordycipitaceae) (Petch) Spatafora, Kepler & B. Shrestha was isolated from hazelnut buds infested by the big bud mite pest Phytoptus avellanae Nalepa, which makes the buds swollen, reddish, and unable to further develop. Gall formation is known to be regulated by a consortium of microbes and mites, and to better understand the possible role of A. muscarius within the infested gall, its whole genome sequence was obtained using a hybrid approach of Illumina and Nanopore reads. The functional and comparative genomics analysis provided within this study may help answer questions related to the ecology and the entomopathogenicity of this fungus.

Entomopathogenic fungi are valuable alternatives to traditional agrochemicals, providing more sustainable crop protection. Akanthomyces spp. is acknowledged in biocontrol practices, especially in controlling aphids, thrips, whiteflies, and mites; however, its efficacy on soft scale insects is still poorly known. This study investigates the potential use of Akanthomyces muscarius on the soft scale insect Toumeyella parvicornis , a new invasive pest for European stone pines ( Pinus pinea ). The strain of A. muscarius tested in the experimentation has been isolated from Parthenolecanium corni , a soft scale insect on which the fungus seems to be highly infective. After molecular identification and characterization, bioassays were conducted to compare the performances of the different conidial concentrations of A. muscarius isolate and commercial formulations on T. parvicornis overwintering females and nymphs. Results showed a promising colonization and higher pathogenicity of A. muscarius on T. parvicornis in all the trials, compared with the other commercial formulations, in some cases showing a quick infection and death of the host. Our results pave the way to further field uses where A. muscarius is applied as a biological control method to reduce infestations of T. parvicornis .

Toumeyella parvicornis (Cockerell) (Hemiptera, Coccidae) is becoming a potential main pest of stone pine plants (Pinus pinea L.), both in urban parks and pinewood forests in Europe. Its recent distribution is a source of concern in several regions of Italy and in France. The early detection of this pest plays a fundamental role to contain its geographical expansion, but its taxonomic identification is still based on laborious observations of the morphological traits. The identification is also complicated by the small size of the pest, which makes the observations possible only through a stereomicroscope. Molecular identification is beneficial for detection, but currently, there is only a single gene sequence available for this pest. This study fills this gap in knowledge by providing the sequences of five different genes (COI, 28S, elongation factor (EF-1α), wingless (wg), and histone H3 (HexA)), together with a phylogenetic analysis carried out among species belonging to Coccidae, one of the most important families of scale insects. The results provide new valuable information about T. parvicornis and may represent useful data for its detection and management practices.