main office and research facilities
via Angelo Signorelli 105
00123 Roma
registered office
via Germanico 107
00192 Roma
weeds@bbcaonlus.org
Ecocompatible strategies to control weeds and insect pests
BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENCY
BBCA
BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENCY
Publications
2023
BELVEDERE S., ARNONE S., CRISTOFARO M., LA MARCA A., DE BIASE A. (2023). Paternity Analyses for the Planning of SIT Projects against the Red Palm Weevil. Insects 2023, 14, 326. https://doi.org/10.3390/ insects14040326
BON M.C., GOOLSBY J., MERCADIER G., GUERMACHE F., KASHEFI J., CRISTOFARO M., VECEK A., KIRK A. (2023). Detection of a diverse endophyte assemblage within fungal communities associated with the arndo leaf miner, Lasioptera donacis (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Diversity, 15, 571 https://doi.org/10.3390/d15040571
CERASTI F., MASTRANTONIO V., DALLAI R., CRISTOFARO M., PORRETTA D. (2023). Applying satyrization to insect pest control: the case of spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura. Insects, 14, 569 https://doi.org/10.3390/insects1406569
CRISTOFARO M., FORNARI C., MARIANI F., CEMMI A, MUSUMECI S. (2023). Effects of gamma irradiation on mating behavior of red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus /Olivier, 1790) (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae). Insects, 14,661 https://doi.org/10.3390/insects 14070661
HOELMER K.A., SFORZA R.F.H., CRISTOFARO M. (2023). Accessing biological control genetic resources: the United States perspective. BioControl http://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-023-10179-5
MAINARDI C.A., PECCERILLO C., PAOLINI A., CEMMI A., SFORZA R., MUSMECI S., PORRETTA D., CRISTOFARO M. (2023). Using gamma irradiation to predict sperm competition mechanism in Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister) (Hemiptera:Pentatomidae): insights for a future management strategy. Insects, 14, 681 https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14080681
PECCERILLO C., MAINARDI C., NIERI R., FOUANI M., CEMMI A., CRISTOFARO M., ANFORA G., MAZZONI V. (2023). The effect of the sterile insect technique on vibrational communication: the case of Bagrada hilaris (Hemiptera:Pentatomidae). Insects, 14, 353 https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14040353
ROSELLI G., ANFORA G., SASSO R., ZAPPONI L., MUSMECI S., CRISTOFARO M. (2023). Combining irradiation and
biological control against brown marmorated stink bug: are sterile eggs a suitable substrate for the egg parasitoid Trissolcus japonicus? Insects, 14, 654 https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14070654
ROSELLI G., ANFORA, G., SUCKLING D.M., MAZZONI V., CRISTOFARO M. (2023). Effects of irradiation on biology and mating behavior of wild males of brown marmorated stink bug using a 6MV Medical Linear Accelerator. Insects, 14, 460. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14050460
2022
CAREDDU G., BOTTI M.V., CRISTOFARO M., SPORTA CAPUTI S., CALIZZA E., ROSSI L., COSTANTINI M.L. (2022). The Feeding Behaviour of Gall Midge Larvae and Its Implications for Biocontrol of the Giant Reed: Insights from Stable Isotope Analysis. Biology, 11, 1805. https://doi.org/103390/biology11121805
CRISTOFARO M., SFORZA R.H., ROSELLI G., PAOLINI A., CEMMI A., MUSMECI S., ANFORA G., IORIATTI C., GRODOWITZ M. (2022). Effects of Gamma Irradiation on the Fecundity, Fertility, and Longevity of the Invasive Stink Bug Pest Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Insects, 13, 787. https://doi.org/103390/insects1309'787
DE LILLO E., MARINI F., CRISTOFARO M., VALENZANO D., PETANOVIC R., VIDOVIC B., CVRKOVIC T., BON M.C. (2022). Integrative Taxonomy and Synonymization of Aculus mosoniensis (Acari: Eriophyidae), a Potential Biological Control Agent for Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima). Insects, 13, 489. https://doi.org/103390/insects1305489
VIDOVIC B., ANDELKOVIC N., JOJIC V., CVRKOVIC T., PETANOVIC R., MARINI F., CRISTOFARO M., RECTOR B.G. (2022). A New Aculodes Species (Prostigmata: Eriophyidae) Described from an Invasive Weed by Morphological, Morphometric and DNA Barcode Analyses. Insects, 13, 877. https://doi.org/103390/insects13100877
2021
DE BIASE A., COLONNELLI E., BAVIERA C., BELLÒ C., CASALINI R., CORSO R., LA MARCA A. (2021). Molecular analyses of flightless weevils Chiloneus from Sicily and adjoining islands revealed new synonymy (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). The European Zoological Journal, vol. 88, Issue 1, pp. 948-958 . https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2021.1960443
MARINI F., PROFETA E.,VIDOVIC B., PETANOVIC R., DE LILLO E., WEYL P., HINZ H.L., MOFFAT C.E., BON M.-C. , CVRKOVIC T. et al. (2021). Field Assessment of the Host Range of Aculus mosoniensis (Acari: Eriophyidae), a Biological Control Agent of the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima). Insects, 12, 637. DOI: 10.3390/insects12070637.
MARINI F., WEYL P., VIDOVIC B., PETANOVIC R., LITTLEFIELD J., SIMONI S., DE LILLO E., CRISTOFARO M., SMITH L. (2021). Eriophyid Mites in Classical Biological Control of Weeds: Progress and Challenges. Insects 2021, 12, 513. DOI: 10.3390/insects12060513.
MARINI F., VIDOVIC B., LONISA S., WIBAWAC M.I., DE LILLO E., KASHEFI J., CRISTOFARO M.,SMITH L. (2021). Comparison of the performance of an eriophyid mite, Aceria salsolae, on nontarget plants in the laboratory and in the field. Biological Control, Vol. 152, Jan. 2021, 104455. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2020.104455.
RHODES A.C., PLOWES R.M., GOOLSBY J.A., GASKIN J.F., MUSYOKA B., CALATAYUD P.-A., CRISTOFARO M., GRAHMANN E.D., MARTINS D.J., GILBERT L.E.(2021). The dilemma of Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus): a valued pasture grass and a highly invasive species. Biol. Invasions, DOI: 10.1007/s10530-021-02607-3
2020
CRISTOFARO M., ROSELLI G., MARINI F., DE LILLO E., PETANOVIC R.U., VIDOVIC B., AUGE' M., RECTOR B.G. (2020). Open field evaluation of Aculodesaltamurgensis, a recently described eriophyid species associated with medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae), Biocontrol Science and Technology. DOI: 10.1080/09583157.2019.1711021
FREDA F., MASI M., KASHEFI J., CRISTOFARO M., MUSMECI S., EVIDENTE A. (2020). Acaricidal activity of the plant sesquiterpenoids α-costic acid and inuloxin A against the cattle ectoparasitic tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus annulatus). International Journal of Acarology. DOI: 10.1080/01647954.2020.1805002
PERVUKHINA-SMITH I., SFORZA R.F.H., CRISTOFARO M., SMITH J.F., NOVAK S.J. (2020). Genetic analysis of invasive populations of Ventenata dubia (Poaceae): an assessment of propagule pressure and pattern of range expansion in the Western United States. Biol Invasions, vol. V, 22:3575–3592.DOI: 10.1007/s10530-020-02341-2.
2019
DE BIASE A., SMITH L., BRUNETTI M., BELVEDERE S., PRIMERANO S., ANTONINI G., LA MARCA A., AUDISIO P., BIONDI M., CRISTOFARO M. (2019). Three prospective agents instead of one? Cryptic diversity of the biological control agent Psylliodes chalcomera. Biological Control 136. 103998.
MASI M., FREDA F., SANGERMANO F., CALABRÒ V., CIMMINO A., CRISTOFARO M., MEYER S. AND EVIDENTE A. (2019). Radicinin, a fungal phytotoxin as a target-species bioherbicide for invasive buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris) control. Molecules doi:10.3390/molecules24061086
2018
CHARDONNET F., BLANCHET A., HURTEL B., MARINI F., SMITH L. (2018). Mass-rearing optimization of the parasitoid Psyttalia lounsburyi for biological control of the olive fruit fly. Journal of Applied Entomology 00:1–12. doi: 10.1111/jen.12573
DE LILLO E., VIDOVIĆ B., PETANOVIĆ R., CRISTOFARO M., MARINI F., AUGÉ M., CVRKOVIĆ T., BABIĆ E., MATTIA C., LOTHFOLLAI P., RECTOR B.G. (2018). A new Aculodes species (Prostigmata: Eriophyoidea: Eriophyidae) associated with medusahead, Taeniatherum caput-medusae (L.) Nevski (Poaceae). Systematic and Applied Acarology 23(7):1217-1226. doi: 10.11158/saa.23.7.1
MARSHALL M, GOOLSBY J.A., VACEK A.T., MORAND P.J., KIRK A.A., CORTES MENDOZ E., CRISTOFARO M., BOWNES A., MASTORAS A., KASHEFI J., CHASKOPOULOU A., SMITH L., GOLDSMITH B. AND RACELIS A.E. (2018). Densities of the Arundo wasp, Tetramesa romana (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) across its native range in Mediterranean Europe and introduced ranges in North America and Africa. Biocontrol Science and Technology, https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2018.1493090
SCHAFFNER U., SMITH, L., CRISTOFARO M. (2018). A review of open-field host range testing to evaluate non-target use by herbivorous biological control candidates. BioControl. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-018-9875-7
SMITH L., CRISTOFARO M., BON M.C., DE BIASE A., PETANOVIĆ R., VIDOVIĆ B. (2018). The importance of cryptic species and subspecific populations in classic biological control of weeds: a North American perspective. BioControl:1-9
VIDOVIĆ B., KAMALI H., PETANOVIC R., CRISTOFARO M., WEYL P., GHORBANALI A., CVRKOVIĆ T., AUGÉ M., MARINI F. (2018). A new Aceria species (Acari: Trombidiformes: Eriophyoidea) from West Asia, a potential biological control agent for the invasive weed camelthorn, Alhagi maurorum Medik. (Leguminosae). Acarologia 58(2):302-312. doi: 10.24349/acarologia/20184243
2017
DE LILLO E., PANZARINO O., LOVERRE P., VALENZANO D., MATTIA C., MARINI F., AUGÉ M., CRISTOFARO M. (2017). New eriophyoid mites from Italy. IV. Mites associated to weed plants. Syst Appl Acarol, 22(12): 2256–2272. DOI: 10.11158/saa.22.12.15
MASI M., MEYER S., CLEMENT S., CIMMINO A., CRISTOFARO M., AND EVIDENTE A. (2017). Cochliotoxin a dihydropyranopyran-4,5-dione, and its Analogues Produced by Cochliobolus australiensis display phytotoxic Activity against Buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris). J. Nat Prod. 80: 1241-1247
MASI M., MEYER S., CLEMENT S., PESCITELLI G., CIMMINO A., CRISTOFARO M., EVIDENTE A. (2017). Chloromonilinic Acids C and D, Phytotoxic Tetrasubstituted 3-Chromanonacrylic Acids Isolated from Cochliobolus australiensis with Potential Herbicidal Activity against Buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris). J. Nat Prod. 80 (10): 2771-2777
MASI M., MEYER S., GORECKI M., MANDOLI A., DI BARI L., PESCITELLI G., CIMMINO A., CRISTOFARO M., CLEMENT S., EVIDENTE A. (2017). Pyriculins A and B, two monosubstituted hex-4-ene-2,3-diols and other phytotoxic metabolites produced by Pyricularia grisea isolated from buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris). Chirality, 29 (11): 726-736 DOI: 10.1002/chir.22744
MUSMECI S., BELVEDERE S., SASSO R., ARNONE S., CRISTOFARO M., NOBILI P., LA MARCA A., DE BIASE A. (2017). Last-male sperm precedence in Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier): observations in laboratory mating experiments with irradiated males. Bull Entomol Res, 3: 1-9.
VIDOVIČ B., KAMALI H., PETANOVIČ R., CRISTOFARO M., WEYL PH., ASADI G., CVROVIČ T., AUGÉ M., MARINI F. (2017). Description of new Aceria species (Acari: Eriophyoidea), a potential agent for the biological control of camelthorn, Alhagi maurorum Medik. (Fabaceae). Journal Acarologia, submitted.
2016
AUGÉ M., BON M-C., HARDION L., LE BOURGEOIS T., SFORZA R. (2016). Genetic characterization of a red colour morph of Euphorbia esula subsp. esula (Euphorbiaceae) in the floodplains of the Saône (Eastern France). Botanique, 94(10):1001-1007.
2015
DE BIASE A., COLONNELLI E., BELVEDERE S., LA MARCA A., CRISTOFARO M. and SMITH L. (2015). Genetic and morphological studies of Trichosirocalus species introduced to North America, Australia and New Zealand for the biological control of thistles. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 106 (1), 99-113.
2014
ASADI G., GHORBANI R., CRISTOFARO M., CHETVERIKOV P., PETANOVIĆ R., VIDOVIĆ B. et al. (2014). The impact of the flower mite Aceria acroptilon on the invasive plant Russian knapweed Rhaponticum repens in its native range. Biocontrol, 59(3), 367 – 375.
BELVEDERE S., LA MARCA A., MARCARI V., SENIA G. AND DE BIASE A. (2014). In silico mining of microsatellite markers for the Red Palm Weevil as contribution to its invasion management. Conservation Genetics Resources, 1-2.
2013
CRISTOFARO M., DE BIASE A. and SMITH L. (2013). Field release of a prospective biological control agent of weeds, Ceratapion basicorne, to evaluate potential risk to a nontarget crop. Biological Control, 64(3), 305 - 314.
DE BIASE A., BELVEDERE S., SENIA G., MARCARI V., LA MARCA A. and VU L.V. (2013). Preliminary analysis of variability and genetic differentiation in Asian and Mediterranean populations of Red Palm Weevil. Atti Acc. Naz. It. Entomol., LXI, 193-200.
2012
STOEVA A., HARIZANOVA V., DE LILLO E., CRISTOFARO M. and SMITH L. (2012). Laboratory and field experimental evaluation of host plant specificity of Aceria solstitialis, a prospective biological control agent of yellow starthistle. Exper. Appl. Acarology, 56(1), 43 – 55.
2011
GASKIN J., BON M.C., COCK M. J.W., CRISTOFARO M., DE BIASE A., DE CLERCK-FOLATE R. et al. (2011). Applying molecular-based approaches to classical biological control of weeds. Biological Control, 58 (1): 1-21.
2010
CESCHIN S., SALERNO G., PAOLINI A., LECCE F. and DI CRISTINA F. (2010). Segnalazione di Carex microcarpa Bertol. ex Moris, Cyperaceae, nel Lago di Posta Fibreno (Frosinone), Lazio. Notula n. 1670, Informatore Botanico Italiano, 42 (1): 381.
HARIZANOVA V., STOEVA A., CRISTOFARO M., PAOLINI A., LECCE F. and DI CRISTINA F. (2010). Preliminary results on the phytophagous insect fauna on Onopordum acanthium (Asteraceae) in Bulgaria. Pesticidi i fitomedicina, 25(4): 301-309.
SKORACKA A., SMITH L., OLDFIELD G., CRISTOFARO M. and AMRINE J.W. (2010). Host-plant specificity and specialization in eriophyoid mites and their importance for the use of eriophyoid mites as biocontrol agents of weeds. Exper. App. Acarology, 51 (1): 93-113.
2009
ANTONINI G., COLETTI G., SERRANI L., TRONCI C., CRISTOFARO M. and SMITH L. (2009). Using molecular genetics to identify immature specimens of the weevil Ceratapion basicorne (Coleoptera: Apionidae). Biological Control, 51 (1): 152-157.
SMITH L., CRISTOFARO M., DE LILLO E., MONFREDA R. and PAOLINI A. (2009). Field assessment of host plant specificity and potential effectiveness of a prospective biological control agent, Aceria salsolae, of Russian thistle, Salsola tragus. Biological Control, 48: 237- 243.
2008
GÜLTEKIN L., BOROVEC R., CRISTOFARO M. and SMITH L. (2008). Broad-nosed weevils feeding on Centaurea solstitialis L. in Turkey, with a description of the new species Araxia cristofaroi sp. n. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer., 101(1): 7-12(6).
GÜLTEKIN L., CRISTOFARO M., TRONCI C. and SMITH L. (2008). Natural history studies for the preliminary evaluation of Larinus filiformis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), as a prospective biological control agent of yellow starthistle. Environ. Entomol., 37 (5): 1185-1199.
2006
LUCANTONI L., GIUSTI F., CRISTOFARO M., PASQUALINI L., ESPOSITO F., LUPETTI P. and HABLUETZEL A. (2006). Effects of a neem extract on blood feeding, oviposition and oocyte ultrastructure in Anopheles stephensi Liston (Diptera: Culicidae). Tissue and Cell, 38:361-371.
ROMI R., PROIETTI S., DI LUCA M. and CRISTOFARO M. (2006). Laboratory evaluation of the bioinsecticide Spinosad for mosquito control. J. Amer. Mosquito Control Association, 22 (1): 93-96.
SMITH L., HAYAT R., CRISTOFARO M., TRONCI C., TOZLU G. and LECCE F. (2006). Assessment of risk of attack to safflower by Ceratapion basicorne (Coleoptera: Apionidae), a prospective biological control agent of Centaurea solstitialis (Asteraceae). Biological Control, 36: 337-344.
2005
UYGUR S., SMITH L., UYGUR, F.N., CRISTOFARO M. and BALCIUNAS J. (2005). Field assessment in land of origin of host specificity, infestation rate and impact of Ceratapion basicorne a prospective biological control agent of yellow starthistle. Biocontrol, 50: 525-541.
