The formation of a persistent population of a new invasive species, citrus flatid planthopper ( Metcalfa pruinosa Say, 1830), is reported for the Ovidipol district, Odessa oblast, Ukraine. ...

In 2010, Pentamerismus taxi (Haller, 1877) was revealed in the Acad. O. V. Fomin Botanical Garden (Kyiv). Th is is the northernmost border (51˚31′N) of expansion of this phytophage in Ukraine. Th e mite most severely infests Taxus baccata L. plants and all varieties of this species. Th is mite has not been found on the plants of T. canadensis March. and T. cuspidata Siebold et Zucc. ex Endl. Appearance of a new dangerous pest requires further close study of this species.

The review analyzes current data on the molecular mechanisms employed by bacteria to suppress and evade plant defense responses. It presents the strategies used by various pathogenic bacteria to overcome protective barriers associated with the cell wall and cytoplasmic components, including the cytoskeleton, which play a crucial role in plant immune responses to pathogens. Particular attention is given to bacterial effector proteins translocated into plant cells via the Type III Secretion System (T3SS), aimed at suppressing plant innate immunity and interfering with additional defense-related cellular processes such as proteasome-mediated protein degradation, phytohormone signaling, c y toskeleton organization, vesicular trafficking, and gene expression. Promising chemical compounds and innovative strategies for the control of bacterial plant diseases are also discussed.

Mushrooms' quality may be significantly changing depending on their type, strain, growing cycle, packing, cooling, postharvest handling (PHH), and conditions of storage. This work aimed to define the influence of the type and mushrooms' strain, the regime of the PHH by carbon dioxide on their preservation (marketability, loss of weight (LW)), changes in the chemical substances, and physiological activity (intensity respiration (IR) and heat release (HR)). Mushrooms Agaricus bisporus (AB) (strains ІБК-25 and ІБК-15) and Pleurotus ostreatus (PO) (strains НК-35 and Amycel 3000) were used for testing. Three regimes of treatment by CO2 with a concentration of 20% were applied: 2 h; 12 h and 22 h. The control was the mushrooms without treatment by CO2. Changes in the chemical substances such as dry matters (DM), protein nitrogen (PN), and ascorbic acid (AA) in the researched mushrooms were observed. The best result of mushroom preservation was provided by the regime of CO2 treatment during 12 h. The yield of marketable AB was 94.9% (IBK-25) and 94.2% (IBK-15) comparison to control 93.5%, and 92.5%, respectively. The regime of PHH 2 h almost has no influence but 22 h harmed this indicator. PHH of mushrooms by carbon dioxide was promoted to preserve the DM and increasing concentration of CO2 was supplied better results. Thus, DM at the end of storage in the AB of strain IBK-25 depend on the regime were 8.5, 8.6, and 8.4%, against – 8.3% in the control variant. Significant quantitative changes in the PN and AA as a result of treatment by CO2 were not established. PHH also affected the IR and HR. The increased duration of treatment by CO2 inhibited the intensity of physiological processes in the mushrooms. But, as in previous cases, the best result was provided PHH by 20% CO2 during 12 h. Similar trends of treatments effect by carbon dioxide were observed in the mushrooms of PO.

The larvae of the invasive species Metcalfa pruinosa (Say, 1830) were found on the territory of the botanical-geographic plot “The Far East” in the Gryshko National Botanical Garden, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, in Kyiv for the first time in May 2016. During five years of observations, the insect managed to expand its range to other areas of the Botanical Garden and adjacent territories, where it reached a high population density. It is still the northernmost point of the insect’s detection on the territory of Ukraine. The range of M. pruinosa host plants was examined. The species lives on a large number of ornamental and synanthropic plants and fruit and vegetable crops, which belong to 80 species from 55 families. The most susceptible to colonization by citrus cicada are the families Rosaceae—18 species, Aceraceae—5 species, and Oleaceae—4 species of plants. It has been found that M. pruinosa develops one generation per year. The appearance of cicada larvae is observed in the first ten days of May. The first imagoes are recorded in early or mid-July, depending on the meteorological conditions of the year. The complete disappearance of imagoes happens at the end of August. The insect’s development is limited by a minimum air temperature of 17–20°С. In the future, it will be necessary to monitor and analyze comprehensively various factors that may affect the emergence, propagation, and survival of M. pruinosa on new territories.

The article considers information about discovery of the mite Pentamerismus taxi(Haller) on a yew tree in the Fomin Botanical Garden, Kyiv. This is the extreme point on the northern border (51°31′...