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Simple Summary: Management strategies targeting invasive pests of agricultural crops have relied heavily on the application of synthetic insecticides. However, sustainable pest management approaches and tools are being effectively implemented. The use of microbials, botanicals, and other natural-based substances alone or in combination with natural enemies is a promising approach. In this context, in the laboratory, we studied the potential synergistic or antagonistic effects in pest control of various biopesticides with Ganaspis kimorum and Necremnus tutae, two major parasitoids of the spotted wing Drosophila and the South American tomato pinworm, respectively. Drosophila suzukii and Tuta absoluta are successful biological invaders of agroecosystems. Their integrated pest management (IPM) programs involve the release and/or conservation of natural enemies. Among these, Ganaspis kimorum is a major Asian parasitoid of D. suzukii and has been introduced as a classical biological control agent of this pest in Europe and North America, while Necremnus tutae is a key fortuitous parasitoid of T. absoluta in the Mediterranean region. Bioinsecticides represent key alternatives to chemicals for controlling both pests. This study investigated the potential compatibility of both parasitoids with Beauveria bassiana, Bacillus thuringiensis, garlic essential oil (EO), and spinosad, in comparison to two synthetic insecticides, cyantraniliprole and chlorantraniliprole. The results showed that combining each of the tested insecticides with G. kimorum slightly increased pest mortality compared to the insecticide alone. Necremnus tutae had a significant additive effect on host mortality when combined with insecticides. Beauveria bassiana and B. thuringiensis were most compatible with both parasitoid species. Both garlic EO and chlorantraniliprole impaired the survival of immature N. tutae and showed sublethal toxicity on the reproductive and non-reproductive behaviors of N. tutae. Spinosad exhibited high acute toxicity on both juvenile and adult parasitoids of both species. Overall, these findings provide useful insights into insecticide selectivity toward two key parasitoids and offer new knowledge on the potential of combining natural enemies and bioinsecticides for optimized IPM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) are receiving increasing scientific interest because of the economic losses that they can cause in invaded areas. Nonetheless, there are a number of emerging pest species, belonging to different tribes, for which invasions have likely been overlooked in the past due to their inconspicuousness, taxonomic confusion and/or misidentification. In the summer of 2022, severe infestations by a bark beetle species belonging to the tribe Cryphalini were observed on mango (Mangifera indica L.) in Eastern Sicily (Italy). No information about bark beetle attacks on mango trees in Europe was available previously. However, the occurrence of a cryphaline bark beetle species causing rapid common fig tree (Ficus carica L.) dieback was reported for the same investigated area in 2014 and 2015. We aimed to identify the bark beetle species attacking mango and common figs, and to describe the fungal pathogens vectored by this beetle species. Our results revealed that the bark beetle species attacking mango and fig trees in the studied area is Cryphalus dilutus Eichhoff and that different fungal pathogens, i.e., species of Botryosphaeriaceae, Ceratocystis ficicola and Neocosmospora spp., are vectored by this beetle species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field surveys conducted during 2021 and 2022 in Western Sicily, Italy, revealed the presence of common fig trees severely affected by trunk and crown root canker and bark cracking. Moreover, in conjunction with the symptomatic tissues, the same surveyed plants showed the presence of bark beetle holes and internal wood galleries. The predominant beetle Criphalus dilutus was previously reported attacking figs in Sicily. Phylogenetic analyses based on multilocus DNA data showed the presence of different fungal taxa associated with disease symptoms, including Botryosphaeria dothidea , Ceratocystis ficicola , Diaporthe foeniculina , Neocosmospora bostrycoides , N. perseae , and Neofusicoccum luteum . Pathogenicity tests conducted on potted fig plants showed that all the species were pathogenic to fig, with C. ficicola and Neocosmospora spp. as the most aggressive fungal species. Moreover, isolations conducted from the bodies of emerging adult insects recovered from disease samples confirmed the presence of C. ficicola and Neocosmospora spp., suggesting the potential involvement of C. dilutus in their dissemination., Competing Interests: The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.