Skip to main content
Log in

Dasineura oleae: morphological and physiological characterization following the midge attack on olive leaves

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Dasineura oleae (Angelini, 1831) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), the gall agent of Olea europaea L. leaves, has always been considered just a secondary pest of the olive grove since it does not cause any direct damages on the olive fruits production. However, severe outbreaks were recently recorded in the Mediterranean Basin. Our result shed light on the potential alteration that D. oleae trophic action may trigger on leaf morphology and some physiological activities of olive leaves (O. europaea cv Frantoio), since they are strictly related with the photosynthates accumulation and olives production. Net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were significantly lower just in infested leaves (P = 0.0038 and P = 0.0487, respectively), inducing to consider that the symptoms of suffering are limited to the attacked organs. Shoot elongation in control versus infested plants shows no difference between the two treatments. Polyphenols content was analyzed in tissues surrounding D. oleae galls, and no deficits were recorded compared to control leaves. Although lab trials reveal no dramatic effects on these physiological activities, further experiments are needed in order to relate physiological alteration in field and olive fruit production.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Availability of the data and materials

The dataset used and analyzed during the current study is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

References

  • Aldea M, Hamilton JG, Resti JP, Zangerl AR, Berenbaum MR, Frank TD et al (2006) Comparison of photosynthetic damage from arthropod herbivory and pathogen infection in understory hardwood saplings. Oecologia 149:221–232

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Tamimi MMA (1997) Population trends of olive leaf midge Dasineura oleae Loew (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and the effect of some insecticides on the midge and its parasites in Amman District (Thesis or Dissertation). NCARE, Jordan, p 77

    Google Scholar 

  • Altiok E, Bayçin D, Bayraktar O, Ülkü S (2008) Isolation of polyphenols from the extraction of olive leaves (Oleae europaea L.) by adsorption on silk fibroin. Sep Purif Technol 62:342–348

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arambourg Y (1986) Entomologie oleicole 103. Conseil Oleicole International, Madrid

    Google Scholar 

  • Batta Y (2019) New findings on infestation and phenology of Dasineura oleae Angelini (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae): an emerging pest on olive trees in Palestinian Territories. J Plant Dis Prot 126:55–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-018-0196-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Batta Y, Dogănlar M (2020) Olive leaf gall midge (Dasineura oleae Angelini, Diptera, Cecidomyiidae): determination of olive tree infestation rates and quantification of parasitism by indigenous parasitoids. J Plant Dis Prot 127:91–101. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-019-00270-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bentur JS, Pasalu IC, Sarma NP, Prasad Rao U, Mishra B (2003) Gall-midge resistance in rice. DRR research paper series 01. Directorate of Rice Research, Hyderabad, India

  • Castro AC, Oliveira DC, Moreira ASFP, Lemos-Filho JP, Isaias RMS (2012) Source-sink relationship and photosynthesis in the hors-shaped gall and its host plant Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (Fabaceae). S Afr J Bot 83:11–126

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen M, Shelton AM, Hallett RH, Hoepting CA, Kikkert JR, Wang P (2011) Swede midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), ten years of invasion of crucifer crops in North America. J Econ Entomol 104(3):709–716

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • DeClerck-Floate R, Price PW (1994) Impact of a bud-galling midge on bud populations of Salix exigua. Oikos 70:253–260

    Google Scholar 

  • Diez CM, Trujillo I, Martinez-Urdiroz N, Barranco D, Rallo L, Marfil P, Gaut BS (2015) Olive domestication and diversification in the Mediterranean Basin. N Physiol 206(1):436–447

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dogănlar M (2011) Parasitoids complex of the olive leaf gall midges, Dasineura oleae (Angelini 1831) and Lasioptera oleicola Skuhravá (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in Hatay Turkey, with descriptions of new genus and species from Tetrastichinae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Türkiye entomologji derneği 35(2):245–264

    Google Scholar 

  • Dogănlar M, Sertkaya E, Skuhrava M (2011) Pest status of olive leaf gall midge Daineura oleae (Angelini, 1831), description of Lasioptera oleicola Skuhravá sp. New (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and effectiveness of parasitoids on their populations in Hatay Turkey. Turk Entomol Dergisi Turk J Entomol 35(2):265–284

    Google Scholar 

  • Dorchin N, Cramer MD, Hoffmann JH (2006) Photosynthesis and sink activity of wasp-induced galls in Acacia pycantha. Ecology 87:1781–1791

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • dos Santos Isaias RM, Garcia Ferreira B, Ramos de Alvarenga D, Rodrigues Barbosa L, Salminem JP, Steinbauer MJ (2018) Functional compartmentalisation of nutrients and phenolics in the tissue of galls induced by Leptocybe invasa (Hymenopetra: Eulophidae) on Eucalyptus camaldulensis (Myrtaceae). Aust Entomol 57:238–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Dsouza MR, Ravinshankar BE (2014) Nutritional sink formation in gall of Ficus glomerata Roxb. (Moraceae) by the insect Pauropsylla depressa (Psyllidae, Hemiptera). Trop Ecol 55(1):129–136

    Google Scholar 

  • Espírito Santo MM, Ferdandes GF (2007) How many species of gall-inducing insects are there on earth, and where are they? Ann Entomol Soc Am 100:95–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Florentine SK, Raman A, Dhileepan K (2005) Effect of gall induction by Epiblema strenuana on gas exchange, nutrients, and energetics in Parthenium hysterophorus. Biocontrol 50:787–801

    Google Scholar 

  • Galán C, Vázquez L, García-Mozo H, Domínguez E (2004) Forecasting olive (Olea europaea) crop yield based on pollen emission. Field Crops Res 86(1):43–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Giunti G, Benelli G, Conte G, Mele M, Caruso G, Gucci R, Flamini G, Canale A (2016) VOCs-mediated location of olive fly larvae by the braconid parasitoid Psyttalia concolor: a multivariate comparison among VOC bouquets from three olive cultivars. Biomed Res Int. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/7827615

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzales WL, Caballero PP, Medel R (2005) Galler-induced reduction of shoot growth and fruit production in the shrub Colliguaja integerrima (Euphorbiacecae). Rev Chil Hist Nat 78:393–399

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta JP (2011) Enzymes involved in phenol metabolism of gall and normal tissue of insect induced leaf galls on some economically important plants in Rajasthan India. Biosci Discov 2(3):345–347

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall C, Carroll A, Kitching R (2017) A meta-analysis of the effects of galling insects on host plant secondary metabolites. Arthropod Plant Interact 11:463–467

    Google Scholar 

  • Hallet RH, Heal JD (2001) First Nearctic record of the Swede midge, Contarinia nasturtii (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), a pest of cruciferous crops in Europe. Can Entomol 133:713–715

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris KM (1992) A new species of gall midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) attacking mango foliage in Guam, with observations on its pest status and biology. Bull Entomol Res 82:41–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang MY, Chou HM, Chang YT, Yang CM (2014) The number of cecidomyiid insect galls affects the photosynthesis of Machilius thunbergii host leaves. J Asia-Pac Entomol 17:151–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang MY, Huang WD, Chou HM, Chen CC, Chen PJ, Chang YT, Yang CM (2015) Structural, biochemical, and physiological characterization of photosynthesis in leaf-derived cup-shaped galls on Litsea acuminata. BMC Plant Biol 15:61

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Inbar M, Mayer R, Doostdar H (2003) Induced activity of pathogenesis related (PR) proteins in aphid galls. Symbiosis 34:1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Kot I, Jakubczyk A, Karaś M, Złotek U (2017) Biochemical responses induced in galls of three Cynipidae species in oak trees. Bull Entomol Res 108(4):494–500

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lalonde RG, Shorthouse JD (1985) Growth and development of larvae and galls of Urophora cardui (Diptera, Tephritidae) on Cirsium arvense (Compositae). Oecologia 65:161–165

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Larson KC (1998) The impact of two gall-forming arthropods on the photosynthetic rates on their hosts. Oecologia 115:161–166

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenthaler HK, Buschmann C (2001) Chlorophylls and carotenoids: measurement and characterization by UV–VIS spectroscopy. Curr Protoc Food Anal Chem 1(1):1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Martinez E, Montenegro G, Elgueta M (1992) Distribution and abundance of two gall makers on the euphorbiaceous shrub Colliguaia odorifera. Rev Chil Hist Nat 65:75–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Maxwell K, Johnson GN (2000) Chlorophyll fluorescence—a practical guide. J Exp Bot 51(345):659–668

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira DC, Isaias RMS, Fernandes GW, Ferreira BG, Carniero RGS, Fuzaro L (2016) Manipulation of host plant cells and tissue by gall-inducing insects and adaptive strategies used by different feeding guilds. J Insect Physiol 84:103–113

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oteros J, Orlandi F, García-Mozo H, Aguilera F, Dhiab AB, Bonofiglio T, Abichou M, Ruiz-Valenzuela L, Mar del Trigo M, Diaz de la Guardia C, Domínguez-Vilches E, Msallem M, Fornaciari M, Galán C (2014) Better prediction of Mediterranean olive production using pollen-based models. Agron Sustain Dev 34(3):685–694

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pan LY, Chen WN, Chiu ST, Raman A, Chiang TC, Yang MM (2015) Is a gall an extended phenotype of the inducing insect? A comparative study of selected morphological and physiological traits of leaf and stem galls on Machilus thunbergii (Lauraceae) induced by five species of Daphnephila (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in Northeastern Taiwan. Zool Sci 32:314–321

    Google Scholar 

  • Patel S, Rauf A, Khan H (2018) The relevance of folkloric usage of plant galls as medicines: finding the scientific rationale. Biomed Pharmacother 97:240–247

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Picchi MS, Marchi S, Petacchi R (2017) Cecidomia delle foglie dell’olivo: nuovo rischio o vecchio problema? L’informatore agrario 16:48

    Google Scholar 

  • Porra RJ, Thompson WA, Kriedemann PE (1988) Determination of accurate extinction coefficients and simultaneous equations for assaying chlorophyll a and b extracted with four different solvents: verification of the concentration of chlorophyll standards by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Biochim Biophys Acta 975:384–394

    Google Scholar 

  • Purohit SD, Ramawat KG, Arya HC (1979) Phenolics, peroxidase and some phenolase as related to gall formation in some arid zone plants. Curr Sci 48:714–716

    Google Scholar 

  • Raman A (2010) Insect-plant interactions: the gall factor. In: Dubinsky Z, Seckbach J (eds). All Flesh is Grass. Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology. Springer 16:119-145

  • Raman A, Schaefer CW, Withers TM (2005) Gall and gall-inducing arthropods: an overview of their biology, ecology and evolution. In: Raman A, Schaefer CW, Withers TM (eds) Biology, ecology and evolution of gall-inducing arthropods. Science Publishers, New Hampshire, pp 1–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Rohfritsch O (1978) Premières manifestations de l’action parasitaire du Hartigiola annulipes Hartig sur le hêtre. 103e Congr. Soc. Savant Nancy. Science 3:311–322

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaefer CW, Raman A, Withers TM (2005) Galls and gall-inducing arthropods; ecological issue and evolutionary patterns. In: Raman A, Schaefer CW, Withers TM (eds) Biology, ecology and evolutionary of gall-inducing arthropods. Science Publishers, New Hampshire, pp 761–766

    Google Scholar 

  • Shorthouse JD, Wool D, Raman A (2005) Gall-inducing insects-nature’s more sophisticated herbivores. Basic Appl Ecol 6:407–411

    Google Scholar 

  • Simoglou KB, Karataraki A, Roditakis NE, Roditakis E (2012) Euzophera bigella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Dasineura oleae (F. Low) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae): emerging olive crop pests in the Mediterranean? J Pest Sci 85:169–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Stone GN, Schönrogge K (2003) The adaptive significance of insect gall morphology. Trends Ecol Evol 18:512–522

    Google Scholar 

  • Talhouk AMS (1969) Insects and mites injurious to crops in Middle Eastern countries. Monogr Angew Entomol 21:1–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Tondini E, Petacchi R (2019) First observation on the parasitoid complex and on the biology of Dasineura oleae during and outbreak in Tuscany, Italy. Bull Insectol 72(1):93–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Tscharntke T (1989) Changes in shoot growth of Phragmites australis caused by the gall maker Giraudiella inclusa (Diptera: CEcidomyiidae). Oikos 54:370–377

    Google Scholar 

  • Ugolini F, Massetti L, Pedrazzoli F, Tognetti R, Vecchione A, Zulini L, Maresi G (2014) Ecophysiological responses and vulnerability to other pathologies in European chestnut coppices, heavily infested by the Asian chestnut gall wasp. For Ecol Manag 314:38–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Vijaya Lakshmi P, Amudhan S, Hima Bindu K, Cheralu S, Bentur JS (2006) A new biotype of the Asian rice gall midge Orseolia oryzae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) characterized from the Warangal population in Andhra Pradesh, India. Int J Trop Insect Sci 26:2017–2211

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang CM, Yang MM, Huang MY, Hsu JM, Jane WN (2003) Herbivorous insect causes deficiency of pigment-protein complexes in an oval-pointed cecidomyiid gall of Machilus thunbergii leaves. Bot Bul Acad Sin 44:314–321

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Cristina Ghelardi and Gaia Monteforti for laboratory assistance, and Elena Tondini and Malayka S. Picchi for reviewing the manuscript. Authors are grateful to the Tuscany Region for the scientific collaboration.

Funding

This work has been realized with the funding provided by the scholarship granted by Agrobiosciences Ph.D. program at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa to Alice Caselli.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alice Caselli.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have not conflict of interest.

Consent for publication

The author transfers to Springer the non-exclusive publication rights and the warrants that her contribution is original and that she has full power to make this grant. The author signs for and accepts responsibility for releasing this material on behalf of any co-authors. This transfer of publication rights covers the non-exclusive right to reproduce and distribute the article, including, reprints, translations, photographic reproductions or any other reproductions of similar nature.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Caselli, A., Francini, A., Minnocci, A. et al. Dasineura oleae: morphological and physiological characterization following the midge attack on olive leaves. J Plant Dis Prot 128, 173–182 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-020-00380-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-020-00380-4

Keywords

Navigation