Lethal and behavioural toxicity of differently aged insecticide residues on European earwigs (Forficula auricularia) in the laboratory and in the field.

Pesticide residues are an important topic in many environmental studies, but little is known about the effects of pesticide residues of different ages on beneficial arthropods. Therefore, in this study the activity of residues of three different ages of several commonly used insecticides on the behaviour and mortality of European earwigs was evaluated in the laboratory and the effect of the insecticides was verified in the field. All residues of the biorational SpinTor® (spinosad), Radiant SC (spinetoram), and the conventional Steward® (indoxacarb) showed significantly faster mortality progression compared to the control in the laboratory. All the Steward® residues caused a significant wave of erratic behaviour as the earwigs went through a deep and relatively long moribund stage and resurrected. We verified the effects of SpinTor® and Steward® on changes in earwig abundance and their behaviour in the orchard. Earwigs abundance was significantly lower 16 days after application of biorational SpinTor® and conventional Steward® which had a significantly more pronounced and longer lasting effect. The earwig population stabilised by day 53 after the insecticide applications. Field applications of insecticides had no effect on earwig behaviour and sex ratio. Our results show that older residues have a negative effect on European earwigs equal to that of fresh residues, although their degradation should occur. It is interesting to note that biorational insecticides may not be safer than chemical insecticides.

Synchrospora gen. nov., a New Peronosporaceae Genus with Aerial Lifestyle from a Natural Cloud Forest in Panama.

During a survey of Phytophthora diversity in Panama, fast-growing oomycete isolates were obtained from naturally fallen leaves of an unidentified tree species in a tropical cloud forest. Phylogenetic analyses of sequences from the nuclear ITS, LSU and ßtub loci and the mitochondrial cox1 and cox2 genes revealed that they belong to a new species of a new genus, officially described here as Synchrospora gen. nov., which resided as a basal genus within the Peronosporaceae. The type species S. medusiformis has unique morphological characteristics. The sporangiophores show determinate growth, multifurcating at the end, forming a stunted, candelabra-like apex from which multiple (8 to >100) long, curved pedicels are growing simultaneously in a medusa-like way. The caducous papillate sporangia mature and are shed synchronously. The breeding system is homothallic, hence more inbreeding than outcrossing, with smooth-walled oogonia, plerotic oospores and paragynous antheridia. Optimum and maximum temperatures for growth are 22.5 and 25-27.5 °C, consistent with its natural cloud forest habitat. It is concluded that S. medusiformis as adapted to a lifestyle as a canopy-dwelling leaf pathogen in tropical cloud forests. More oomycete explorations in the canopies of tropical rainforests and cloud forests are needed to elucidate the diversity, host associations and ecological roles of oomycetes and, in particular, S. medusiformis and possibly other Synchrospora taxa in this as yet under-explored habitat.

Metabolomic and Physiological Changes in Fagus sylvatica Seedlings Infected with Phytophthora plurivora and the A1 and A2 Mating Types of P. ×cambivora.

Phytophthora infections are followed by histological alterations, physiological and metabolomic adjustments in the host but very few studies contemplate these changes simultaneously. Fagus sylvatica seedlings were inoculated with A1 and A2 mating types of the heterothallic P. ×cambivora and with the homothallic P. plurivora to identify plant physiological and metabolomic changes accompanying microscope observations of the colonization process one, two and three weeks after inoculation. Phytophthora plurivora-infected plants died at a faster pace than those inoculated with P. ×cambivora and showed higher mortality than P. ×cambivora A1-infected plants. Phytophthora ×cambivora A1 and A2 caused similar progression and total rate of mortality. Most differences in the physiological parameters between inoculated and non-inoculated plants were detected two weeks after inoculation. Alterations in primary and secondary metabolites in roots and leaves were demonstrated for all the inoculated plants two and three weeks after inoculation. The results indicate that P. plurivora is more aggressive to Fagus sylvatica seedlings than both mating types of P. ×cambivora while P. ×cambivora A1 showed a slower infection mode than P. ×cambivora A2 and led to minor plant metabolomic adjustments.

Multilocus phylogeny and taxonomy of European Melanoleuca subgenus Melanoleuca.

Revision of the taxonomically complicated European Melanoleuca taxa with well-developed macrocystidia (subgenus Melanoleuca) is presented. The species are delimited by macro- and micromorphological characters and by multilocus molecular data based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS), second largest subunit of RNA polymerase I (rpb2), and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) genes. The study is based on both type material and recent collections. Phylogenetically, these taxa form 10 clades recognized as 11 separate species: M. albomarginata, M. ammophila, M. bataillei, M. cavipes, M. friesii, M. granadensis, M. melaleuca, M. pallidicutis, M. polioleuca, M. strictipes, and M. variabilis. Three species, M. albomarginata, M. ammophila, and M. variabilis, are described as new. Melanoleuca melaleuca is discussed here as the type species of the genus. Discussion of other older names and their taxonomic status is also provided.

Two new Nothophytophthora species from streams in Ireland and Northern Ireland: Nothophytophthora irlandica and N. lirii sp. nov.

Slow growing oomycete isolates with morphological resemblance to Phytophthora were obtained from forest streams during routine monitoring for the EU quarantine forest pathogen Phytophthora ramorum in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) sequence analysis indicated that they belonged to two previously unknown species of Nothophytophthora, a recently erected sister genus of Phytophthora. Morphological and temperature-growth studies were carried out to characterise both new species. In addition, Bayesian and Maximum-Likelihood analyses of nuclear 5-loci and mitochondrial 3-loci datasets were performed to resolve the phylogenetic positions of the two new species. Both species were sterile, formed chlamydospores and partially caducous nonpapillate sporangia, and showed slower growth than any of the six known Nothophytophthora species. In all phylogenetic analyses both species formed distinct, strongly supported clades, closely related to N. chlamydospora and N. valdiviana from Chile. Based on their unique combination of morphological and physiological characters and their distinct phylogenetic positions the two new species are described as Nothophytophthora irlandica sp. nov. and N. lirii sp. nov. Their potential lifestyle and geographic origin are discussed.

Melanoleuca galbuserae, M. fontenlae and M. acystidiata-Three New Species in Subgenus Urticocystis (Pluteaceae, Basidiomycota) with Comments on M. castaneofusca and Related Species.

Melanoleuca is one of the taxonomically most complicated genera of Agaricomycetes with several taxonomically lineages. The subgenus Urticocystis of the genus Melanoleuca contains species with either urticoid or absent cheilocystidia. In this paper, three new European species, Melanoleuca galbuserae, Melanoleuca fontenlae, and Melanoleuca acystidiata are described as new to science. Melanoleuca galbuserae, related to Melanoleuca stepposa and Melanoleuca tristis, was discovered in alpine grasslands in North Italy. The type specimens and recent collections of Melanoleuca angelesiana, Melanoleuca castaneofusca, Melanoleuca luteolosperma, Melanoleuca pseudopaedida, and Melanoleuca robertiana were sequenced and morphologically examined. Moreover, the related Melanoleuca microcephala and Melanoleuca paedida were included in morphological examination and DNA sequence analyses. All the species were delimited by macro- and micromorphological characters and the multigene phylogenetic analyses of a combined (ITS, rpb2, and tef1) dataset on the basis of the species tree estimation. In accordance with new molecular and morphological data, we suggest taxonomic reappraisal of M. pseudopaedida and M. robertiana, and M. fontenlae and M. acystidiata are proposed as new species. The differences between the type material of M. angelesiana from the USA and European M. angelesiana specimens are discussed.

The Destructive Tree Pathogen Phytophthora ramorum Originates from the Laurosilva Forests of East Asia.

As global plant trade expands, tree disease epidemics caused by pathogen introductions are increasing. Since ca 2000, the introduced oomycete Phytophthora ramorum has caused devastating epidemics in Europe and North America, spreading as four ancient clonal lineages, each of a single mating type, suggesting different geographical origins. We surveyed laurosilva forests for P. ramorum around Fansipan mountain on the Vietnam-China border and on Shikoku and Kyushu islands, southwest Japan. The surveys yielded 71 P. ramorum isolates which we assigned to eight new lineages, IC1 to IC5 from Vietnam and NP1 to NP3 from Japan, based on differences in colony characteristics, gene x environment responses and multigene phylogeny. Molecular phylogenetic trees and networks revealed the eight Asian lineages were dispersed across the topology of the introduced European and North American lineages. The deepest node within P. ramorum, the divergence of lineages NP1 and NP2, was estimated at 0.5 to 1.6 Myr. The Asian lineages were each of a single mating type, and at some locations, lineages of "opposite" mating type were present, suggesting opportunities for inter-lineage recombination. Based on the high level of phenotypic and phylogenetic diversity in the sample populations, the coalescence results and the absence of overt host symptoms, we conclude that P. ramorum comprises many anciently divergent lineages native to the laurosilva forests between eastern Indochina and Japan.

Mixed-Mating Model of Reproduction Revealed in European Phytophthora cactorum by ddRADseq and Effector Gene Sequence Data.

A population study of Phytophthora cactorum was performed using ddRADseq sequence variation analysis completed by the analysis of effector genes-RXLR6, RXLR7 and SCR113. The population structure was described by F-statistics, heterozygosity, nucleotide diversity, number of private alleles, number of polymorphic sites, kinship coefficient and structure analysis. The population of P. cactorum in Europe seems to be structured into host-associated groups. The isolates from woody hosts are structured into four groups described previously, while isolates from strawberry form another group. The groups are diverse in effector gene composition and the frequency of outbreeding. When populations from strawberry were analysed, both asexual reproduction and occasional outbreeding confirmed by gene flow among distinct populations were detected. Therefore, distinct P. cactorum populations differ in the level of heterozygosity. The data support the theory of the mixed-mating model for P. cactorum, comprising frequent asexual behaviour and inbreeding alternating with occasional outbreeding. Because P. cactorum is not indigenous to Europe, such variability is probably caused by multiple introductions of different lineages from the area of its original distribution, and the different histories of sexual recombination and host adaptation of particular populations.