Olive Tree Care in Tuscany: Sant’Anna School scientists develop phytosanitary measures to prevent the spread of olive leaf gall midge

Scientists of the Entomology Lab. at Sant’Anna School Institute of Life Sciences have reported the olive leaf gall midge Dasineura oleae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) infesting olive trees in Tuscany.

Elena Tondini, Sat’Anna School PhD Student working at the Department of Agrobioscience, presented her research at the conference organized by the Tuscany Region authority on pest risk assessments and commensurate restrictions to prevent massive Dasineura oleae outbreaks over the next two years.

Ruggero Petacchi, research scientist at Sant’Anna School Department of Entolomology, presented a review of the infestations observed in Grosseto and Massa Carrara areas. The results reported in these studies are discussed in relation to the leaf gall midge populations monitoring and the role that biological control may play in the regulation of the outbreaks.

The current studies indicate that the introduction of phytosanitary measures and the environmental risk assessment of these agents is an essential step in the pest management. Tuscany Region is committed to a reduced reliance on chemicals and integrated control methods of leaf gall midge are provided in an attempt to summarize research findings currently available.