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Christos Athanassiou is a Professor of Entomology, at the University of Thessaly, Greece. His research is focused on insect biology and detection, and implementation strategies of chemical and non-chemical control. He has published over 300 papers in peer-reviewed journals, and has participated in the development of several products that are now commercially available. He serves as the Editor in Chief (EiC) in Journal of Stored Products Research, EiC in Journal of Insect Science, and Editor/Associate Editor in other journals. He is a coordinator, PI, collaborator etc. in different projects funded by different organizations and the industry. He has received awards from different organizations (Fulbright Foundation, OECD, IIE/OLF, US FS etc.).
The reproduction of aphids depends to a great extent on their host plants, an integration that impacts on the successful expansion of overwintering populations. Therefore, a survey was conducted to evaluate the globally distributed Capsella bursa-pastoris as an overwintering host of economically important aphid species, their parasitoids and hyperparasitoids in the southern and western regions of Turkey from November to March in 2006 to 2013. During this survey, 395 samples of C. bursa-pastoris were collected with 25 aphid species recorded. Among aphids that feed on this host, Myzus persicae, Aphis gossypii, Rhopalosiphum padi, Aphis fabae, Aphis craccivora, Lipaphis erysimi, and Brevicoryne brassicae were the most frequently recorded. In total, 10,761 individual parasitoids were identified. Binodoxys angelicae, Aphidius colemani, Aphidius matricariae, Diaeretiella rapae, Ephedrus persicae, and Lysiphlebus confusus were the most abundant aphidiines that emerged from the aphids collected from C. bursa-pastoris. Alloxysta spp. (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea), Chalcidoidea (unidentified at genus level), and Dendrocerus spp. (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronoidea) were identified as hyperparasitoids on the parasitoids. These findings indicate that C. bursa-pastoris is a key non-agricultural plant that significantly contributes to the overwintering of numerous aphids and their parasitoids, which should be given serious consideration when biological control strategies are designed.
Serdar Satar; Nickolas G. Kavallieratos; Mustafa Tüfekli; Gül Satar; Christos G. Athanassiou; Nikos E. Papanikolaou; Mehmet Karacaoğlu; Işıl Özdemir; Petr Starý. Capsella bursa-pastoris Is a Key Overwintering Plant for Aphids in the Mediterranean Region. Insects 2021, 12, 744 .
AMA StyleSerdar Satar, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Mustafa Tüfekli, Gül Satar, Christos G. Athanassiou, Nikos E. Papanikolaou, Mehmet Karacaoğlu, Işıl Özdemir, Petr Starý. Capsella bursa-pastoris Is a Key Overwintering Plant for Aphids in the Mediterranean Region. Insects. 2021; 12 (8):744.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSerdar Satar; Nickolas G. Kavallieratos; Mustafa Tüfekli; Gül Satar; Christos G. Athanassiou; Nikos E. Papanikolaou; Mehmet Karacaoğlu; Işıl Özdemir; Petr Starý. 2021. "Capsella bursa-pastoris Is a Key Overwintering Plant for Aphids in the Mediterranean Region." Insects 12, no. 8: 744.
Pest control provides important and useful services in rural and urban environments, activities, and value chains. Despite the significance of them, under operational, environmental and food security and safety terms, there are still gaps in the awareness level of targeted groups. Therefore, in the current work, we have carried out questionnaire-based surveillance to pest control operators in Greece and Cyprus, in an attempt to illustrate their knowledge regarding pest control in conjunction with demographic characteristics. In this context, the results underlined the need for further training in all aspects of pest control, but also relative activities that are often are operated by pest controllers, such as food safety activities and applications in the urban and sub-urban environment. The replies that had been obtained during the survey showed good correlations of knowledge with specific variables, such as the size of the company, the age group, and the educational background, in conjunction with the country in which the professional activities are carried out. To our knowledge, this is the first work of its kind, in terms of pest controllers’ perceptions and self-evaluation, illustrating specific knowledge gaps that have to be alleviated towards improved services in urban pest control, especially in sensitive urban areas and facilities, and improved measures for safety during the applications.
Angeliki Stefopoulou; Dionyssia A. Maselou; Dimitrios Papachristos; Antonios Kolimenakis; Antonios Michaelakis; Christos Athanassiou; George Vlontzos. Pest Control in Primary Sector: Towards the Identification of Knowledge Gaps. Agronomy 2021, 11, 1596 .
AMA StyleAngeliki Stefopoulou, Dionyssia A. Maselou, Dimitrios Papachristos, Antonios Kolimenakis, Antonios Michaelakis, Christos Athanassiou, George Vlontzos. Pest Control in Primary Sector: Towards the Identification of Knowledge Gaps. Agronomy. 2021; 11 (8):1596.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAngeliki Stefopoulou; Dionyssia A. Maselou; Dimitrios Papachristos; Antonios Kolimenakis; Antonios Michaelakis; Christos Athanassiou; George Vlontzos. 2021. "Pest Control in Primary Sector: Towards the Identification of Knowledge Gaps." Agronomy 11, no. 8: 1596.
The selective application of insecticides is one of the cornerstones of integrated pest management (IPM) and management strategies for pest resistance to insecticides. The present work provides a comprehensive overview of the traditional and new methods for the application of gas, liquid, gel, and solid physical insecticide formulations to control stored-product and food industry urban pests from the taxa Acarina, Blattodea, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Psocoptera, and Zygentoma. Various definitions and concepts historically and currently used for various pesticide application formulations and methods are also described. This review demonstrates that new technological advances have sparked renewed research interest in the optimization of conventional methods such as insecticide aerosols, sprays, fumigants, and inert gases. Insect growth regulators/disruptors (IGRs/IGDs) are increasingly employed in baits, aerosols, residual treatments, and as spray-residual protectants for long-term stored-grain protection. Insecticide-impregnated hypoxic multilayer bags have been proven to be one of the most promising low-cost and safe methods for hermetic grain storage in developing countries. Insecticide-impregnated netting and food baits were originally developed for the control of urban/medical pests and have been recognized as an innovative technology for the protection of stored commodities. New biodegradable acaricide gel coatings and nets have been suggested for the protection of ham meat. Tablets and satchels represent a new approach for the application of botanicals. Many emerging technologies can be found in the form of impregnated protective packaging (insect growth regulators/disruptors (IGRs/IGDs), natural repellents), pheromone-based attracticides, electrostatic dust or sprays, nanoparticles, edible artificial sweeteners, hydrogels, inert baits with synthetic attractants, biodegradable encapsulations of active ingredients, and cyanogenic protective grain coatings. Smart pest control technologies based on RNA-based gene silencing compounds incorporated into food baits stand at the forefront of current strategic research. Inert gases and dust (diatomaceous earth) are positive examples of alternatives to synthetic pesticide products, for which methods of application and their integration with other methods have been proposed and implemented in practice. Although many promising laboratory studies have been conducted on the biological activity of natural botanical insecticides, published studies demonstrating their effective industrial field usage in grain stores and food production facilities are scarce. This review shows that the current problems associated with the application of some natural botanical insecticides (e.g., sorption, stability, field efficacy, and smell) to some extent echo problems that were frequently encountered and addressed almost 100 years ago during the transition from ancient to modern classical chemical pest control methods.
Vaclav Stejskal; Tomas Vendl; Radek Aulicky; Christos Athanassiou. Synthetic and Natural Insecticides: Gas, Liquid, Gel and Solid Formulations for Stored-Product and Food-Industry Pest Control. Insects 2021, 12, 590 .
AMA StyleVaclav Stejskal, Tomas Vendl, Radek Aulicky, Christos Athanassiou. Synthetic and Natural Insecticides: Gas, Liquid, Gel and Solid Formulations for Stored-Product and Food-Industry Pest Control. Insects. 2021; 12 (7):590.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVaclav Stejskal; Tomas Vendl; Radek Aulicky; Christos Athanassiou. 2021. "Synthetic and Natural Insecticides: Gas, Liquid, Gel and Solid Formulations for Stored-Product and Food-Industry Pest Control." Insects 12, no. 7: 590.
Although the inclusion of insects in fish diets is officially allowed in the EU since 2017, insect-based aquafeeds have not been widely adopted by the European aquaculture sector. In order to investigate the perceptions related with adoption trends, it is critical to explore the beliefs of people associated with the aquaculture sector on the use of insects in farmed fish diets. A survey was conducted among 228 participants of an aquaculture conference to explore their perceptions on the inclusion of insect meal in fish diets. Additionally, we investigated the attitudes of nine companies operating in the aquaculture and aquafeed sector in Greece that attended the conference towards this direction. The findings of the conference survey provide evidence that there is a wide-range awareness and acceptance regarding the use of insect-based feeds in farmed fish diets among the respondents. This is mainly driven by the expectations for the decline in fishing pressure on wild fish stocks, the reduction of the ecological footprint and the enhancement of the sustainability of the aquaculture sector. The results of the stakeholder survey show that six out of the nine companies that participated in the survey are favorably disposed towards the use of insect-based feeds. Specifically, four of them stated that they would produce or use aquafeeds based on insects. However, the results highlight the need for further research on the implementation of the wider adoption of insect-based feeds in aquaculture. The present study provides some first insights into the use of insect-based aquafeeds in Greece, for which there are no data available.
Christos Rumbos; Eleni Mente; Ioannis Karapanagiotidis; Georgios Vlontzos; Christos Athanassiou. Insect-Based Feed Ingredients for Aquaculture: A Case Study for Their Acceptance in Greece. Insects 2021, 12, 586 .
AMA StyleChristos Rumbos, Eleni Mente, Ioannis Karapanagiotidis, Georgios Vlontzos, Christos Athanassiou. Insect-Based Feed Ingredients for Aquaculture: A Case Study for Their Acceptance in Greece. Insects. 2021; 12 (7):586.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristos Rumbos; Eleni Mente; Ioannis Karapanagiotidis; Georgios Vlontzos; Christos Athanassiou. 2021. "Insect-Based Feed Ingredients for Aquaculture: A Case Study for Their Acceptance in Greece." Insects 12, no. 7: 586.
During the last decade the insect sector has witnessed a tremendous growth. A lot of scientific knowledge has been accumulated regarding insect production, processing and industrialisation. However, an issue that has been often overlooked is the management of insect pest infestations in insect production plants. Pyralid moths appear to be the most prevalent insect pest-species in mealworm farms. Although not directly affecting the mealworm larvae, these species can cause severe problems infesting the feed. Their presence in the production facility can lead to the contamination of the mealworm protein with moth protein and the disruption of sieving and processing due to the larval webbing. The management of moth infestations in insect rearing units is rather challenging, as most commonly applied insecticide-based control measures cannot be implemented due to their negative impact on insect production. Therefore, moth control should be based on the integration of several alternative strategies in a holistic approach that combines improved sanitation and hygiene with non-chemical control measures. The application of extreme temperatures, biological control, mating disruption and other control tools for the management of insect infestations in insect producing facilities is being discussed within this review.
D. Deruytter; C.I. Rumbos; C.G. Athanassiou. Insect infestations in mealworm farming: the case of the pyralid moths. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 2021, 1 -12.
AMA StyleD. Deruytter, C.I. Rumbos, C.G. Athanassiou. Insect infestations in mealworm farming: the case of the pyralid moths. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed. 2021; ():1-12.
Chicago/Turabian StyleD. Deruytter; C.I. Rumbos; C.G. Athanassiou. 2021. "Insect infestations in mealworm farming: the case of the pyralid moths." Journal of Insects as Food and Feed , no. : 1-12.
Laboratory studies were conducted to evaluate the behavior of adults belonging to two different populations of the cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne (F.) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae), one resistant and one susceptible to phosphine, towards specific LED light stimuli. This was done in conjunction with other factors, such as sex and mating, as well as the presence or absence of food. For this purpose, LED lights with wavelength of 400 nm (ultraviolet, UV), 460 nm (blue), 505 nm (green) and 660 nm (red) were incorporated in a structure made of transparent acrylic plastic, which served as an arena, while the response of the adults to the visual cues was recorded 24 h after their release. The attractiveness of the UV light was consistently higher than the other spectra, regardless of the population, sex, mating status and the presence of food. We observed that the unmated males of the susceptible population showed a stronger flight response towards UV light compared with the unmated females that had responded to a lower degree, regardless of the presence of food. When mated adults of both sexes were released together in the arena, both populations had similar responses towards the light colors. Considering our findings, for the vast majority of the parameters tested, the natural behavioral variation in photo-attraction was not affected by phosphine resistance. The evaluation of the phototactic responses in L. serricorne is of major importance, as light and pheromone traps for monitoring of the activity of this species have been widely adopted globally in different types of storage and processing facilities of durable commodities.
Georgia V. Baliota; Christos G. Athanassiou; Lee W. Cohnstaedt. Response of phosphine-resistant and –susceptible Lasioderma serricorne adults to different light spectra. Journal of Stored Products Research 2021, 92, 101808 .
AMA StyleGeorgia V. Baliota, Christos G. Athanassiou, Lee W. Cohnstaedt. Response of phosphine-resistant and –susceptible Lasioderma serricorne adults to different light spectra. Journal of Stored Products Research. 2021; 92 ():101808.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGeorgia V. Baliota; Christos G. Athanassiou; Lee W. Cohnstaedt. 2021. "Response of phosphine-resistant and –susceptible Lasioderma serricorne adults to different light spectra." Journal of Stored Products Research 92, no. : 101808.
Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) is one of the most important quarantine pests of stored grains. Control of this insect species can be achieved through a gaseous insecticide, phosphine. Many studies focus on the effect of phosphine on different developmental stages of insects, with most of them highlighting eggs as the most tolerant stage. Our data showed that 2-d-old eggs of T. granarium are more susceptible than 1-d-old eggs. Faster hatching was observed in eggs exposed to phosphine for 2 d compared to controls and the result was more pronounced for 1-d-old than 2-d-old eggs. In contrast to the 2-d exposure, hatching rates of eggs exposed to 4 and 6 d were notably reduced, while there was a delay in egg hatching compared to controls. Moreover, larval development from untreated eggs was faster than the larvae from treated eggs, regardless of the exposure time. These dissimilar patters in larval growth may suggest certain delayed effects of phosphine fumigation. The results of the present work can be further utilized for the development of phosphine-based quarantine and pre-shipment treatments for the control of T. granarium.
Evagelia Lampiri; Christos G Athanassiou. Insecticidal Effect of Phosphine on Eggs of the Khapra Beetle (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 2021, 114, 1389 -1400.
AMA StyleEvagelia Lampiri, Christos G Athanassiou. Insecticidal Effect of Phosphine on Eggs of the Khapra Beetle (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). Journal of Economic Entomology. 2021; 114 (3):1389-1400.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEvagelia Lampiri; Christos G Athanassiou. 2021. "Insecticidal Effect of Phosphine on Eggs of the Khapra Beetle (Coleoptera: Dermestidae)." Journal of Economic Entomology 114, no. 3: 1389-1400.
In this study, we evaluated the susceptibility of four different sorghum varieties to infestation by the khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), as compared with wheat, which served as a ‘control’ commodity. In population growth assays, there was preference for population development on wheat compared to the different sorghum varieties. In contrast, there were no significant differences in total population development among the four varieties of sorghum. However, the proportion of immature stages (larvae, pupae) in relation to the adult stage varied significantly among the different varieties. Moreover, significant differences were noted among the commodities tested regarding the final weight decrease, as well as the amount of frass and kernel damage. Our study clearly demonstrates noticeable differences in the susceptibility of the varieties to T. granarium infestation. These results show that this species can develop on different varieties of sorghum, and variety selection should be further considered in a host-plant resistance-based management program for T. granarium.
Marina Gourgouta; Christos G Athanassiou; Frank H Arthur. Susceptibility of Four Different Sorghum Varieties to Infestation by the Khapra Beetle. Journal of Economic Entomology 2021, 114, 1373 -1379.
AMA StyleMarina Gourgouta, Christos G Athanassiou, Frank H Arthur. Susceptibility of Four Different Sorghum Varieties to Infestation by the Khapra Beetle. Journal of Economic Entomology. 2021; 114 (3):1373-1379.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarina Gourgouta; Christos G Athanassiou; Frank H Arthur. 2021. "Susceptibility of Four Different Sorghum Varieties to Infestation by the Khapra Beetle." Journal of Economic Entomology 114, no. 3: 1373-1379.
The exploitation of agricultural byproducts and organic side-streams as insect feeding substrates is advantageous for insect farming both from an economic and a sustainability perspective. In this context, in the present study we evaluated the suitability of ten byproducts of the cereal and legume seed cleaning process for the rearing of larvae of the yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor, and the lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus. Byproducts were offered singly to 20 T. molitor and 50 A. diaperinus larvae with provision of carrots as moisture source. After four weeks of undisturbed development, larval weight and survival was evaluated biweekly until pupation. Feed utilization and economic feasibility parameters were determined for each byproduct at the end of the bioassays. Our results show the suitability of several of the byproducts tested for the rearing of T. molitor and A. diaperinus larvae. The best results though among the byproducts tested in terms of larval growth and survival, development time and feed utilization were obtained with larvae fed with lupin and triticale byproducts, which efficiently supported complete larval development. The results of our study aim to boost the integration of circular economy strategies with insect farming practices.
Christos Rumbos; Dimitrios Bliamplias; Marina Gourgouta; Vasilios Michail; Christos Athanassiou. Rearing Tenebrio molitor and Alphitobius diaperinus Larvae on Seed Cleaning Process Byproducts. Insects 2021, 12, 293 .
AMA StyleChristos Rumbos, Dimitrios Bliamplias, Marina Gourgouta, Vasilios Michail, Christos Athanassiou. Rearing Tenebrio molitor and Alphitobius diaperinus Larvae on Seed Cleaning Process Byproducts. Insects. 2021; 12 (4):293.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristos Rumbos; Dimitrios Bliamplias; Marina Gourgouta; Vasilios Michail; Christos Athanassiou. 2021. "Rearing Tenebrio molitor and Alphitobius diaperinus Larvae on Seed Cleaning Process Byproducts." Insects 12, no. 4: 293.
We evaluated, under controlled laboratory conditions, the insecticidal activity of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) for the control of the house mosquito, Culex pipiens. In a first series of bioassays, we tested the residual effect of different PDMS doses to control 3rd instar larvae. The label dose caused high mortality rates (>80%) even after 50 days from the initial application. Mortality levels at half the label dose were significantly higher compared to control, during the entire experimental period following a gradual decrease over time. Similar trends were observed when the 1/4 and the 1/8 of the label dose were applied with a much steeper decrease at long time intervals since the initial application especially for the lowest dose. However, after the 10th day of the bioassays and until the end of the experiments, mortality rates in the case of the label dose were higher compared to all other doses after the initial 10 days post application. Conversely, the insecticidal efficacy of PDMS against pupae was generally lower in comparison with larvae. Indeed, 10 days after the application, mortality was notably reduced, regardless of the dose rate tested. In a second series of bioassays, we assessed the efficacy of short exposures of different instars of larvae and nymphs to registered formulation and label dose. Mortality was well over 95% for 2nd instar larvae at exposure intervals ranging from 1 to 4 days. Significant mortality was recorded to 3rd instar larvae even at 15 min of exposure. Exposures longer than 30 min caused high mortality rates to 3rd instar larvae. Similar results were also recorded in pupae. Finally, in a third series of bioassays, the efficacy of PDMS in egg hatch was tested. Egg hatch was completely suppressed in the treated substrate (all egg rafts were “sinking” at the bottom of the test cups). Moreover, there was no oviposition in the case of the application of the label dose, while some egg rafts were recorded at one-eighth of the label dose. In both cases, it was recorded that PDMS acts as an oviposition deterrent. Τhe results of this study show that PDMS is effective in a wide range of conditions and application scenarios.
Anastasia J. Nikolaidou; Charalampos S. Ioannou; Nikos T. Papadopoulos; Christos G. Athanassiou. Efficacy of polydimethylsiloxane against Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae). Environmental Science and Pollution Research 2021, 1 -11.
AMA StyleAnastasia J. Nikolaidou, Charalampos S. Ioannou, Nikos T. Papadopoulos, Christos G. Athanassiou. Efficacy of polydimethylsiloxane against Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae). Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2021; ():1-11.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAnastasia J. Nikolaidou; Charalampos S. Ioannou; Nikos T. Papadopoulos; Christos G. Athanassiou. 2021. "Efficacy of polydimethylsiloxane against Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae)." Environmental Science and Pollution Research , no. : 1-11.
The aim of this review is to compile up-to-date information on the superworm, Zophobas morio (F.), regarding its biology and ecology, but also its further potential for use as a nutrient source for food and feed. We illustrate certain basic characteristics of the morphology and bio-ecology of this species, which is marginally considered as a ‘pest’ in durable amylaceous commodities. More recent data show that Z. morio can be a valuable nutrient and antimicrobial source that could be utilized further in insect-based feed and food production. The inclusion of this species in aquafeed has provided promising results in a wide range of feeding trials, both in terms of fish development and health. Additional data illustrate its potential for use in poultry, indicating that this species provides comparable results with those of other insect species that are used in feed. Moreover, Z. morio can be a viable waste management agent. This review aims to summarize the available data and underline data gaps for future research, toward the potential of the utilization of Z. morio for human food and animal feed. Based on the data presented, Z. morio appears to be a well-promising insect-based protein source, which potential still remains to be unfold.
C I Rumbos; C G Athanassiou. The Superworm, Zophobas morio (Coleoptera:Tenebrionidae): A ‘Sleeping Giant’ in Nutrient Sources. Journal of Insect Science 2021, 21, 1 .
AMA StyleC I Rumbos, C G Athanassiou. The Superworm, Zophobas morio (Coleoptera:Tenebrionidae): A ‘Sleeping Giant’ in Nutrient Sources. Journal of Insect Science. 2021; 21 (2):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleC I Rumbos; C G Athanassiou. 2021. "The Superworm, Zophobas morio (Coleoptera:Tenebrionidae): A ‘Sleeping Giant’ in Nutrient Sources." Journal of Insect Science 21, no. 2: 1.
The objective of this special issue is to highlight the current state of research in the field of insects as food and feed, but also other aspects on the exploitation of insect farming. In this editorial, we make a short introduction of the topic of the special issue, briefly present the contributions that are collected in it and offer some thoughts on the future research priorities and challenges that should be addressed. Regarding insect farming, there are additional applications, such as fertilizer, health-promoting products, and cosmetics, that can be produced and utilized, that go far beyond food and feed production.
Christos I Rumbos; Christos G Athanassiou. ‘Insects as Food and Feed: If You Can’t Beat Them, Eat Them!’—To the Magnificent Seven and Beyond. Journal of Insect Science 2021, 21, 1 .
AMA StyleChristos I Rumbos, Christos G Athanassiou. ‘Insects as Food and Feed: If You Can’t Beat Them, Eat Them!’—To the Magnificent Seven and Beyond. Journal of Insect Science. 2021; 21 (2):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristos I Rumbos; Christos G Athanassiou. 2021. "‘Insects as Food and Feed: If You Can’t Beat Them, Eat Them!’—To the Magnificent Seven and Beyond." Journal of Insect Science 21, no. 2: 1.
In the present study, we evaluated the insecticidal efficacy of diatomaceous earth (DE) and pirimiphos-methyl for the control of phosphine-susceptible and phosphine-resistant populations of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Sitophilus oryzae (L.). Insecticides were applied on wheat or rice at two doses: DE was applied at 1000 and 2000 ppm and pirimiphos-methyl at 1 and 5 ppm. Adult mortality was measured after 7, 14, and 21 days of exposure, and progeny production capacity on the treated substrates was evaluated 65 days later. For T. castaneum, we found that DE, at 2000 ppm, was able to provide 100% control of two of the three populations tested, while for the third population mortality reached only 84%. Similarly, there were differences in mortality levels after exposure to DE-treated grains between the two S. oryzae populations tested. At 1 ppm, pirimiphos-methyl was not effective for any of the T. castaneum populations tested, but complete mortality was recorded for all populations at 5 ppm. In general, populations of S. oryzae were more susceptible than those of T. castaneum, for both commodities. Our data indicate that both insecticides can be used with success in phosphine resistance management programs, but there are populations of a given species that may be less susceptible, which constitutes a preliminary screening essential.
Maria Κ. Sakka; Christos G. Athanassiou. Insecticidal effect of diatomaceous earth and pirimiphos-methyl against phosphine-susceptible and phosphine-resistant populations of two stored product beetle species. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 2021, 28, 33181 -33191.
AMA StyleMaria Κ. Sakka, Christos G. Athanassiou. Insecticidal effect of diatomaceous earth and pirimiphos-methyl against phosphine-susceptible and phosphine-resistant populations of two stored product beetle species. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2021; 28 (25):33181-33191.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria Κ. Sakka; Christos G. Athanassiou. 2021. "Insecticidal effect of diatomaceous earth and pirimiphos-methyl against phosphine-susceptible and phosphine-resistant populations of two stored product beetle species." Environmental Science and Pollution Research 28, no. 25: 33181-33191.
Phosphine is the most commonly used gas for fumigation for durable commodities globally, but there is still inadequate information regarding its efficacy in conjunction with proper concentration monitoring. In a series of bioassays, insect mortality after specific exposure intervals to phosphine in selected species was examined, as well as the appearance of the so called "sweet spot". The species that were tested were: Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), Sitophilus oryzae (L.) and Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) with populations that had different levels of phosphine resistance. Evaluation was conducted by using the Phosphine Tolerance Test (PTT), with exposure of the adult stage for 15, 30, 60, 90, 150 and 300 min at 3000 ppm. At the end of these intervals (separate bioassays for each time interval), the insects were transferred to Petri dishes, in which recovery was recorded at different time intervals (2 h, 1, 2 and 7 days). The majority of susceptible populations of all species were instantly immobilized even in the shortest exposure period (15 min), in contrast with resistant populations that were active even after 300 min. After exposure to phosphine, populations and exposure time affected mortality of susceptible populations, whereas resistant populations recovered regardless of species and exposure time. Additional bioassays at the concentrations of 500, 1000, 2000 and 3000 ppm for 1, 3, 5, 20, 30 and 40 h showed the presence of the "sweet spot", i.e., decrease of mortality with the increase of concentration. In fact, for most of the tested species, the "sweet spot" appeared in 1000 and 2000 ppm at a 5-h exposure time, regardless of the level of resistance to phosphine. This observation is particularly important both in terms of the assessment of resistance and in the context of non-linear recovery at elevated concentrations, indicating the occurrence of strong hormetic reversals in phosphine efficacy.
Evagelia Lampiri; Paraskevi Agrafioti; Christos G. Athanassiou. Delayed mortality, resistance and the sweet spot, as the good, the bad and the ugly in phosphine use. Scientific Reports 2021, 11, 1 -16.
AMA StyleEvagelia Lampiri, Paraskevi Agrafioti, Christos G. Athanassiou. Delayed mortality, resistance and the sweet spot, as the good, the bad and the ugly in phosphine use. Scientific Reports. 2021; 11 (1):1-16.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEvagelia Lampiri; Paraskevi Agrafioti; Christos G. Athanassiou. 2021. "Delayed mortality, resistance and the sweet spot, as the good, the bad and the ugly in phosphine use." Scientific Reports 11, no. 1: 1-16.
Knockdown and mortality of adults of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and the confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val, were assessed after exposure to two contact insecticides, chlorfenapyr and cyfluthrin, on a concrete surface. Individuals were rated on a scale for knockdown of exposed adults according to their mobility from 1, representing immobilized adults to 5, representing normally moving (similar to the controls). Only cyfluthrin gave immediate knockdown. Adults were rated at 1, 3 and 7 days post-exposure. After the final assessment, adults were discarded and the same procedure was repeated for 5 consecutive weeks with new adults exposed on the same treated surfaces. Despite initial knockdown, many individuals did not eventually die after exposure to cyfluthrin. In contrast, adults exposed to chlorfenapyr were not initially knocked down after exposure but most died after 7 days. These trends were similar during the entire 5-week residual testing period. The storage of the treated dishes in illuminated or non-illuminated conditions did not affect the insecticidal effect of either insecticide. The results of the present study can be further implemented towards the design of a “lethality index” that can serve as a quick indicator of knockdown and mortality rates caused after exposure to insecticides.
Christos G. Athanassiou; Nickolas G. Kavallieratos; Frank H. Arthur; Christos T. Nakas. Rating knockdown of flour beetles after exposure to two insecticides as an indicator of mortality. Scientific Reports 2021, 11, 1 -8.
AMA StyleChristos G. Athanassiou, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Frank H. Arthur, Christos T. Nakas. Rating knockdown of flour beetles after exposure to two insecticides as an indicator of mortality. Scientific Reports. 2021; 11 (1):1-8.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristos G. Athanassiou; Nickolas G. Kavallieratos; Frank H. Arthur; Christos T. Nakas. 2021. "Rating knockdown of flour beetles after exposure to two insecticides as an indicator of mortality." Scientific Reports 11, no. 1: 1-8.
We evaluated different monitoring protocols for phosphine resistance in adults of three populations of the cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne (F.), termed LB, 2KT, and E1. The protocols evaluated were as follows: 1) the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) bioassay, i.e., the exposure at 30 ppm of phosphine for 20 h, 2) the dose response, based on the exposure at 50–1,000 ppm of phosphine for 3 d, 3) the Cooperation Center for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco (CORESTA) bioassay, which is based on exposures of 4 d at 200 ppm, and, if there are surviving individuals, of 10 d at 700 ppm, and 4) Detia Degesch Phosphine Tolerance Test Kit (DDPTTK), based on the evaluation of the exposed insects for short intervals of exposure (in our case 90 min) at 3,000 ppm. From the populations tested, E1 indicated the highest survival in the FAO bioassay. Moreover, adults of this population were able to survive at 200 ppm, in the dose response, in contrast with the other populations. However, both 2KT and E1 gave similar results in DDPTTK, but only E1 had survivors after 7 d postexposure. Finally, only adults of E1 survived the CORESTA bioassay for 200 ppm and 4 d, but not for 700 ppm and 10 d. Our results show that, at least in the range of the populations tested here, there are some trends that are comparable among the different diagnostics for L. serricorne, which can be utilized further in designing a widely adopted standardized protocol.
Maria K Sakka; Christos G Athanassiou. Population-Mediated Responses of Lasioderma serricorne (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) to Different Diagnostic Protocols for Phosphine Efficacy. Journal of Economic Entomology 2021, 114, 885 -890.
AMA StyleMaria K Sakka, Christos G Athanassiou. Population-Mediated Responses of Lasioderma serricorne (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) to Different Diagnostic Protocols for Phosphine Efficacy. Journal of Economic Entomology. 2021; 114 (2):885-890.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria K Sakka; Christos G Athanassiou. 2021. "Population-Mediated Responses of Lasioderma serricorne (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) to Different Diagnostic Protocols for Phosphine Efficacy." Journal of Economic Entomology 114, no. 2: 885-890.
In recent years, modelling techniques have become more frequently adopted in the field of food processing, especially for cereal-based products, which are among the most consumed foods in the world. Predictive models and simulations make it possible to explore new approaches and optimize proceedings, potentially helping companies reduce costs and limit carbon emissions. Nevertheless, as the different phases of the food processing chain are highly specialized, advances in modelling are often unknown outside of a single domain, and models rarely take into account more than one step. This paper introduces the first high-level overview of modelling techniques employed in different parts of the cereal supply chain, from farming to storage, from drying to milling, from processing to consumption. This review, issued from a networking project including researchers from over 30 different countries, aims at presenting the current state of the art in each domain, showing common trends and synergies, to finally suggest promising future venues for research.
Otilia Carvalho; Maria N. Charalambides; Ilija Djekić; Christos Athanassiou; Serafim Bakalis; Jose Benedito; Aurelien Briffaz; Cristina Castañé; Guy Della Valle; Isabel Maria Nunes De Sousa; Ferruh Erdogdu; Aberham Hailu Feyissa; Nickolas G. Kavallieratos; Alexandros Koulouris; Milica Pojić; Anabela Raymundo; Jordi Riudavets; Fabrizio Sarghini; Pasquale Trematerra; Alberto Tonda. Modelling Processes and Products in the Cereal Chain. Foods 2021, 10, 82 .
AMA StyleOtilia Carvalho, Maria N. Charalambides, Ilija Djekić, Christos Athanassiou, Serafim Bakalis, Jose Benedito, Aurelien Briffaz, Cristina Castañé, Guy Della Valle, Isabel Maria Nunes De Sousa, Ferruh Erdogdu, Aberham Hailu Feyissa, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Alexandros Koulouris, Milica Pojić, Anabela Raymundo, Jordi Riudavets, Fabrizio Sarghini, Pasquale Trematerra, Alberto Tonda. Modelling Processes and Products in the Cereal Chain. Foods. 2021; 10 (1):82.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOtilia Carvalho; Maria N. Charalambides; Ilija Djekić; Christos Athanassiou; Serafim Bakalis; Jose Benedito; Aurelien Briffaz; Cristina Castañé; Guy Della Valle; Isabel Maria Nunes De Sousa; Ferruh Erdogdu; Aberham Hailu Feyissa; Nickolas G. Kavallieratos; Alexandros Koulouris; Milica Pojić; Anabela Raymundo; Jordi Riudavets; Fabrizio Sarghini; Pasquale Trematerra; Alberto Tonda. 2021. "Modelling Processes and Products in the Cereal Chain." Foods 10, no. 1: 82.
This paper seeks to underline the driving factors of farmers’ engagement in Participatory Research Projects (PRPs). This is a critical issue for formulating efficient and effective technology transfer channels, essential for improving the operational status of agricultural holdings. A survey was conducted on a sample of 326 Greek arable crops farmers. An explanatory framework consisting of three major factor categories and 11 variables was developed. A logistic regression analysis empirically tests the effect of the variables on the participation of farmers in PRP. Furthermore, the relative importance of variables and factors is extracted with the Shapley–Owen decomposition analysis. The results show that Farmers’ Willingness and Social Influences are the factors that mostly affect their decision to engage in a PRP. The farmers’ ability consisting of socioeconomic and demographic variables has a small effect on their decision-making process. The estimated effects can help decision-makers to shape and prioritize more targeted policies for farmers’ engagement in research. Additionally, this paper sets the basis for shifting research from simple estimations of the effect of variables on farmers’ decision-making, to a more comprehensive estimation that also accounts for the strength of these relationships. The paper fills a gap in the literature of studies on farmers’ decisions for participating in PRPs, by developing and testing an explanatory framework which also accounts for the relative importance of each factor/variable.
George Vlontzos; Spyros Niavis; Christina Kleisiari; Leonidas Sotirios Kyrgiakos; Christos Athanassiou; Panos Pardalos. Why Farmers Get Involved in Participatory Research Projects? The Case of Arable Crops Farmers in Greece. Applied Sciences 2020, 11, 6 .
AMA StyleGeorge Vlontzos, Spyros Niavis, Christina Kleisiari, Leonidas Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Christos Athanassiou, Panos Pardalos. Why Farmers Get Involved in Participatory Research Projects? The Case of Arable Crops Farmers in Greece. Applied Sciences. 2020; 11 (1):6.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGeorge Vlontzos; Spyros Niavis; Christina Kleisiari; Leonidas Sotirios Kyrgiakos; Christos Athanassiou; Panos Pardalos. 2020. "Why Farmers Get Involved in Participatory Research Projects? The Case of Arable Crops Farmers in Greece." Applied Sciences 11, no. 1: 6.
The efficacy of low temperatures ranging from 0 to -15 oC, was evaluated against all life stages of Tribolium confusum, adults of Oryzaephilus surinamensis and adults of Liposcelis bostrychophila. All species/life stages were exposed in empty vials or vials containing 5 g of flour, for time intervals of 2 to 7 d. Eggs and pupae were the least susceptible life stages of T. confusum, as these life stages had the highest survival at – 15 oC. Nevertheless, at this temperature, an exposure of 4 and 8 h for eggs and pupae, respectively, resulted in no survival. In most combinations, the presence of flour did not affect survival of T. confusum exposed to any temperature. There was no survival of O. surinamensis adults after exposure to -5 oC for 7 d or to -10 oC for 8 h, and the presence of flour had no effect on survival. Adults of L. bostrychophila were the most-cold tolerant among the species and life stages tested; at -10 oC, mortality was 100 % only after 7 d of exposure. For this species, the presence of flour had some effect on adult survival, but results were not consistent with temperature. The results of this study can be utilized to develop control programs for using low temperatures as a disinfestation strategy for infested commodities.
Christos G. Athanassiou; Frank H. Arthur; Nickolas G. Kavallieratos; Kris L. Hartzer. Influence of the presence of flour on the efficacy of low temperatures against stored product insects. Crop Protection 2020, 144, 105514 .
AMA StyleChristos G. Athanassiou, Frank H. Arthur, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Kris L. Hartzer. Influence of the presence of flour on the efficacy of low temperatures against stored product insects. Crop Protection. 2020; 144 ():105514.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristos G. Athanassiou; Frank H. Arthur; Nickolas G. Kavallieratos; Kris L. Hartzer. 2020. "Influence of the presence of flour on the efficacy of low temperatures against stored product insects." Crop Protection 144, no. : 105514.
In this study, we evaluated nitrogen treatment on phosphine-resistant field and -susceptible laboratory populations of different stored product beetles. Nine trials were conducted in commercial nitrogen chambers with the O2 level set at 1.0%. Two different temperatures—i.e., 28 and 40 °C—and three exposure intervals—i.e., 2.5, 3 and 9 d—were used in our tests. Adults of the sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae); the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae); and the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) were used in the trials. The insects were placed in vials with different commodities per species and population, and their mortality was measured after the termination of each trial. Then, the vials were kept in incubator chambers at 25 °C and 65% relative humidity for 65 d to measure progeny production. Complete parental mortality was observed in all cases for O. surinamensis and S. oryzae, but there was some survival for T. castaneum at 28 °C and 3 d of exposure. In general, progeny production was completely (100%) suppressed, with some exceptions for all species and populations. The results indicate that low oxygen is effective for all species tested, regardless of their resistance status to phosphine, and can be further adopted as an alternative method to mitigate resistance in stored product beetles.
Maria K. Sakka; Fotini Gatzali; Vaios T. Karathanos; Christos G. Athanassiou. Effect of Nitrogen on Phosphine-Susceptible and -Resistant Populations of Stored Product Insects. Insects 2020, 11, 885 .
AMA StyleMaria K. Sakka, Fotini Gatzali, Vaios T. Karathanos, Christos G. Athanassiou. Effect of Nitrogen on Phosphine-Susceptible and -Resistant Populations of Stored Product Insects. Insects. 2020; 11 (12):885.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria K. Sakka; Fotini Gatzali; Vaios T. Karathanos; Christos G. Athanassiou. 2020. "Effect of Nitrogen on Phosphine-Susceptible and -Resistant Populations of Stored Product Insects." Insects 11, no. 12: 885.