Analisi della variabilità regionale e temporale di Glycaspis brimblecombei in Sardegna

The red gum lerp psyllid Glycaspis brimblecombei is considered an invasive insect species worldwide. In Italy, after the first recorded in Campania in 2010 on Eucaliptus camaldulensis trees, it spread quickly onto all surrounding Central-Southern regions. In Sardinia, G. brimblecombei was first recorded in 2011, and actually is present all over the regional territory. Prolonged attacks of red gum lerp psyllid can cause both direct and indirect damage on eucalyptus trees, such as plant weakening, developmental reductions and filloptosis, resulting in death within 2-3 years. This aspect is particularly important in Sardinia, where eucalyptus is considered one of the mainly floral resources ensuring approximately 50% of the entire regional honey production. From 2013 to 2015 a monitoring program was carried out at 11 stations located throughout the territory of Sardinia in order to estimate both the dynamics and the population density of preimaginal stages and adults, as well as the general trend of G. brimblecombei over the years. Preliminary results of the three-years monitoring program are reported