Comprehensive comparison of treatments for controlling the large pine weevil (Hylobius abietis) in Central Europe.

Adults of the large pine weevil (Hylobius abietis) cause serious damage to coniferous seedlings and are among the most important forest pests in Europe. Seedling protection by chemicals is gradually being restricted or banned for environmental reasons, and non-chemical alternatives are therefore needed. In this 3-year study, we compared the following five treatments for protecting Norway spruce seedlings against H. abietis in the Central European mountains where the weevil is especially abundant: alpha-cypermethrin sprays (the only chemical treatment); coating with sprayed glue (Vermifix); wax coating with C and F types (Norsk Wax); and physical protection with collars. The same block design was set up at a clear-cut site and at a nursery site to compare seedling mortality and wax quality under "wild conditions" with pests and under "ideal conditions" without pests. Repeated application of alpha-cypermethrin was the most effective and least expensive method to protect seedlings against H. abietis. Among the four non-chemical methods, repeated application of glue was the most effective. Because collars were moderately effective but not cost-effective, we do not recommend the use of collars. Wax was inexpensive and environmentally safe but protected seedlings for only 1 year; the newer F type of wax performed better than the C type of wax, and perhaps the F type can be improved. In general we found that seedlings at sites with high numbers of H. abietis require protection for at least 3 years. We conclude by providing an overview of all methods currently available for managing H. abietis in forests.

Comparative Analysis of Triterpene Composition between Ganoderma lingzhi from China and G. lucidum from Slovakia under Different Growing Conditions.

The mushroom today known as Ganoderma lingzhi has been used for centuries in the countries of Eastern Asia as a very important medicinal mushroom. It prefers growing on rotten wood of broadleaf trees and is mainly distributed in the tropics and subtropics. Its relative G. lucidum occurs naturally almost all the Earth, and it colonizes mostly oak and beech trees in Central Europe. G. lingzhi and G. lucidum are similar species. To obtain the qualitative parameters of G. lingzhi and G. lucidum, several strains (five G. lingzhi strains and five G. lucidum ones) were chosen and cultivated in both Slovakia and China, using wood chip (beech and oak) substrate and liquid fermentation method, respectively. It was found that there were more low-polarity triterpenes in G. lucidum, while G. lingzhi contained more high-polarity triterpenes. Beech substrate was more suitable for the accumulation of triterpenes in solid cultivation for both strains of G. lucidum and G. lingzhi. Strain C4 of G. lingzhi and strain K2 of G. lucidum contained higher triterpenes in either mycelium or fruiting bodies. Data in this study can help to identify these two species and bring a great benefit to the production of bioactive compounds of G. lucidum from Slovakia.

Phytophagous larvae occurring in Central and Southeastern European oak forests as a potential host of Entomophaga maimaiga (Entomophthorales: Entomophthoraceae) - A field study.

We evaluated the presence and impact of Entomophaga maimaiga on both target and non-target phytophagous larvae. All six study plots, with low gypsy moth population density, were situated in Central and Southeastern European oak forests and E. maimaiga had previously been reported from these plots. Totally, 45 of 4,045 (1.13%) collected non-target larvae died due to fungal infections. No non-target insect specimen was infected by E.maimaiga, although the presence of the pathogen could not be fully excluded in three cadavers. Out of 1,780L.dispar larvae collected, 15individuals (0.84%) were infected by E.maimaiga.