The physical and chemical characteristics of composts of invasive Acacia longifolia and Acacia melanoxylon shrubs were evaluated to identify compost limitations as a substrate component. The bulk density was <0.4 g cm and the total pore space was >85% of the total volume. Air capacity, the easily available water and buffering capacity were also within acceptable recommended values for horticult...

The almond bark beetle, Scolytus amygdali Geurin-Meneville, is responsible for significant loss of fruit production in almond orchards throughout the world. Here, we studied the damage and the incidences of S. amygdali attack on two different scales: (1) at the level of a single tree; and (2) in an entire orchard. Our results revealed no differences in attack level among four orientations (east...

B and Phomopsis/Diaporthe (P/D) spp. are fungal pathogens known to cause cankers on a variety of woody hosts such as avocado, grapevine, almond, citrus, cherry, plum, mango, and coast live oak. On avocado (Persea americana Mill.), the disease came to be known as Dothiorella canker because the pathogen most often isolated at the time was known as Dothiorella gregaria (2). However, new research h...

PALAVRAS-CHAVE Densidade Sentido medula-casca sentido base-topo ABSTRACT: The wood density is one of the parameters that most affect its properties, which makes it knowledge essential for any use indication. However, due to the high variability of this aspect within the tree, its determination shall consider a sampling throughout the stem. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the longitudinal and...

Firewood is a major pathway for the inadvertent movement of bark- and wood-infesting insects. After discovery of Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in southeastern Michigan in 2002, quarantines were enacted including prohibition of transporting firewood across the Mackinac Bridge between Michigan's Lower and Upper peninsulas. Drivers are required to surrender firewood befor...

Neem is the name used to describe a heterogenous group of compounds derived from the tree Azadirachia indica, an evergreen of the mahogany family Melaceae and endemic to the Indian subcontinent and other tropical and subtropical areas. It is also known as India Lilac or margosa tree and more colloquially as ‘Panacea for all diseases’ and ‘Village Pharmacy’. Virtually every part of the tree incl...

Bark beetles (Coleoptera, Scolytinae) have a widespread association with fungi, especially with ophiostomatoid fungi (Ascomycota) that cause blue staining of wood, and in some cases, serious tree diseases. In Fennoscandia, most studies of these fungi have focused on economically important bark beetle species and this is likely to have led to a biased view of the fungal biodiversity in the regio...

Volatile terpenes are among the most diverse class of defensive compounds in plants, and they are implicated in both direct and indirect defense against herbivores. In terpenes, both the quantity and the diversity of compounds appear to increase the efficiency of defense as a diverse blend of compounds provides a more efficient protection against a broader range of herbivores and limits the cha...

Forest pathogens and insects can accelerate tree mortality, increase stand structural heterogeneity, and alter tree community composition. In northern California, the canopy trees Abies concolor var. lowiana (Gord. & Glend.) Lemmon (white fir) and Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirbel) Franco (Douglas-fir) co-occur but vary in shade tolerance and regenerative abilities following disturba...

Tree bark species were randomly collected from 65 sites having different anthropogenic activities, such as industrial, high traffic commercial, residential high and residential low traffic volume areas of Ibadan City, Nigeria. Levels of Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, Co, and Cr of the dry-ashed bark samples were determined by AAS. The mean metal concentrations (mg kg(-1)) in samples from industrial zone were ...