m. e. farashiani

The production, cultivation, and exploitation of fast-growing species, such as poplar, can serve as a successful starting point for extensive research in crop breeding and production, as well as plant pest and disease control. The goal is to enhance production per unit area in terms of both quantity and quality to supply raw materials for various industries. This study aimed to monitor pests of poplar (Populus nigra L.) in North Khorasan Province, Iran, with the objective of detecting key pests and identifying new emerging damage factors. Access to these findings can significantly aid in the timely prevention of outbreaks and reduction of control costs.

Five index stations (Rooieen, Ordeghan, Gerivan, Kohnehkand, and Chenaran) with different poplar plantation stands, locally known as Sepidar, were selected in North Khorasan Province. To study the level of infestation and pest damage, sampling was conducted from May 2019 to September 2022 at each station once a month during the growing seasons. At each sampling, 10 trees were randomly selected, and pests were sampled using direct observation methods, including hand collection, forceps, brush, aspirator, and Steiner trap. Sampling of wood-boring pests was also conducted in the trunks and crowns of suspected trees. The degree of pest damage and infestation was estimated as a percentage per tree unit. The damage degree was determined using a scoring method. Collected samples were labeled (including sampling date, distribution range, and damage degree) and placed in freezer bags before being transferred to the plant protection laboratory at the North Khorasan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center for further study. Larvae and pupae of unknown pests were reared in plastic containers in the laboratory to complete their life cycle until adult insects emerged.

Field observations in this study identified seven important and key pests: Monosteira unicostata (Mulsant & Rey), Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, Melanophila picta Pall, Phyllonorycter populifoliella (Treitschke), Nycteola asiatica (Krulikovsky), Pemphigus spyrothecae Passerini, and Pemphigus vesicarius Passerini. The results from monitoring poplar pests showed that the emergence of some pests was observed as outbreaks in certain monitoring years but not in others. M. unicostata in 2019 at the Rooieen station (61-80%) and P. populifoliella in 2020 at the Gerivan station (81-100%) appeared as outbreaks. Wood-boring beetles were observed in most stations, but significant damage was noted at the Rooieen station (Esfarayen city). C. populi in 2020 and N. asiatica in 2019 had moderate infestations at the Kohnehkand station (41-60%). P. spyrothecae and P. vesicarius had moderate infestations (41-60%) in Gerivan and Ordeghan stations in both 2021 and at the Rooieen station during 2019 and 2022.

This observational research revealed that among the identified pests, four (i.e., P. populifoliella, P. spyrothecae, P. vesicarius, and N. asiatica) were reported for the first time from North Khorasan Province. The amount of pest damage and infestation degree varied and fluctuated at each station according to the management method, growth grade, and age of the poplar trees

 Forests are one of the most significant sources of species diversity in the biosphere, playing a crucial role in protecting endangered species. With a total of 115 indigenous plant species, Hyrcanian forests are considered one of the most valuable ecosystems in Iran and the world. Deadwood is one of the significant structural characteristics of these natural forests. Deadwood, as habitat trees, plays an essential role in maintaining biodiversity. Saproxylic species are invertebrates that depend on rotting wood, deadwood (standing or fallen), fungi, and other living organisms during part of their life cycle. Therefore, this study investigates and analyzes the need to replace the proposed word “خشک دارزی” instead of “saproxylic.”

 The method in this study involved a review of previous studies and the authors’ research related to the comprehensive plan of saproxylic species diversity in northern Iran. Based on this, the study investigates and evaluates the most important reasons for using the Persian word “خشک دارزی” instead of “saproxylic” in seven different cases. These include a specialized review of the word “saproxylic,” examining the distinction between obligatory and optional users of deadwood, estimating species related to deadwood, analyzing the variables affecting the abundance of saproxylic individuals, the relationship between the loss of biodiversity of Saproxylic species and the absence of deadwood, forest plantations and saproxylic individuals, and comparing the word “خشک دارزی” with other similar words.

 The specialized examination of the word “saproxylic” showed that this term forms the basis of biodiversity assessment in deadwood and describes insects living in decaying wood. Saproxylic organisms (hereafter: “خشک دارزی”) directly and indirectly use deadwood as a source of energy or habitat. Twenty to twenty-five percent of the insects living in the forest are species related to deadwood. The results of examining the variables affecting the abundance of Saproxylic individuals showed that deadwood volume, the degree of deadwood decay, and the volume of living trees had significant effects on the frequency of Saproxylic individuals. Various studies also showed the relationship between the loss of biodiversity of Saproxylic individuals and the absence of deadwood, with traps (window and pit) always installed where deadwood is present. On the other hand, although plantations for wood production are one of the most important sources of wood on a wide scale, there is no sign of deadwood and, consequently, no presence of saproxylic individuals in these areas compared to natural forests. While the meaning of deadwood is a dried tree, in nature, deadwood is not always a completely dead tree. In many cases, only part of the trunk or crown of the tree is dead, while other parts are healthy. This term is known to all experts in forest ecology as referring to any part of a completely dead tree, aligning with the term deadwood.

 Therefore, the word “خشک دارزی”instead of “Saproxylic” can effectively describe this category of species in the Persian language. Finally, the necessity of replacing non-Persian words with suitable Persian words and equating these words in scientific research writings, while preserving their expressive meaning in Persian, can be a positive step towards specialized vocabulary.

In recent years, increasing temperature and water deficiency have caused restrictions on poplar cultivation. Ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM) play an effective role in increasing plant tolerance against water stress, salinity, and the defense of plants against pests and diseases. In this study, isolation, morphological and molecular identification of ectomycorrhizal fungi of three poplar habitats in Guilan province (Shafaroud, Gisoom and Safra-basteh sites) in Iran was carried out. Based on morphological and molecular data, the ectomycorrhizal fungus Paxillus involutus was identified as poplar ectomycorrhizae. Fungal mycelium was used to inoculate seedlings of Populus alba L. in the greenhouse condition, and the effect of the ectomycorrhizal fungus on the plant growth parameters was measured in water stress and irrigation. The results showed that establishing a symbiotic relationship between poplar seedlings and ectomycorrhizal fungus P. involutus was successful. Moreover, inoculation of the symbiotic fungus positively affected improving the growth characteristics of the inoculated plants. Thus, symbiotic seedlings with ectomycorrhizal fungus were significantly different from the non-mycorrhizal seedlings in plant growth variables including root fresh and dry weight, leaf fresh weight, stem fresh and dry weight, leaf area, and stem height (p<0.01). Also, the use of symbiotic fungus reduced the negative effects of water deficit stress on poplar seedlings and increased the tolerance in the mycorrhizal plants. Based on these findings, a coordinated plant-fungal system plays an effective role in improving the performance of poplar plants under water-stress conditions.

Gall-inducing species Pemphigus spyrothecae, P. vesicarius , P. borealis and Camarotoscena fulgidipennis were considered as an important sucking pest of poplars in Hamadan province and Iran. In this study that was carried out during 2010-2011, its density on 15 native and exotic poplar clones belonging to Populus alba, P. nigra, P. deltoides and P. x. euramericana were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. From stands planted in the middle of each plot, 5 were randomly chosen, then 4 branch in 100-200 cm height was selected in each geographical direction and number of galls on it were counted. The clones of P. alba, P. deltoides and P. x. euramericana haven't gall and completely resistant and these infestation was observed in P. nigra clones. The statistical data were analyzed by SPSS 16.0 software. A significant difference in infection rate was found between clones. Mean comparison with Duncken’s test showed that highest number galls of P. spyrothecae, P. vesicarius, P. borealis and C. fulgidipennis were observed in 6, 1, 1 and 1 clones and lowest number galls weer observed in 4, 5, 6 and 3 clones repectevely. By these results, Clones of P. nigra 49/5, P. nigra 62/167, P. nigra 62/172, P. alba 58/57, P. deltoides missoriensis and P. x. euramericana 214 had the highest yield in wood production and were resistant to the these pests.

Today, in near-to-nature forestry, biodiversity conservation, with emphasis on forests conservation, as a valuable genetic resource, has received much attention. Deadwood, as a habitat, plays a key role in diversity and abundance of saproxylic fungi in forest ecosystems. The uncontrolled exploitation, and the management programs applied in forests, have significantly reduced the deadwood volumes and diversity, jeopardizing diversity and abundance of saproxylic fungi. In this study, 29 saproxylic fungal species belonging to 15 families from the phylum Basidiomycota were collected from Asalem forest, Guilan province, northern Iran. The recovered species were identified based upon their morphological characters, using available identification keys. The results showed that the family Polyporaceae (31%) and the species Trametes versicolor (18.4%) have the highest abundance between other families and identified species, respectively. The importance of saproxylic fungi, introduction of deadwood, as a habitat and a key factor in biodiversity of saproxylic fungi in forest ecosystems, have also been discussed.

Saproxylic beetles as one of the most important forest organisms by feeding and decomposing of decay wood play an important role in forest ecosystem nutrition cycle and forest protection. A study was conducted on the saproxylic beetles in Hyrcanian forests in different regions of these forests in Golestan province during 2013-2017. Sampling was done by pitfall and window traps. Samples were identified as Taphrorychus lenkoranus Reitter, 1913, Scolytus intricatus (Ratzburgi,1837), Hypothenemus eruditus Westwood 1836, Trypodendron lineatum (Olivier, 1795), Xleborinus saxessini (Ratzburgi,1837), Anisandrus dispar (Fabricius,1792), Scolytus rugulosus (Müller, 1818) belonging to subfamily Scolytinae and Cis reitteri Lopes,2002, Cis chinensis Lawrence,1991belonging to Ciidae family. Two species Taphrorychus lenkoranus and Cis chinensis are recorded from Golestan province for the first time. Also, a checklist of saproxylic beetles for Golestan province is provided. The identified species are maintained in museum collection of Research Institute of Forest and Rangelands, Iran.

Box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis (Walker, 1859), is one of the major destructive pests that feed on the leaves and shoots of various Buxus species. In the course of this survey, the life cycle of C. perspectalis was studied in laboratory and natural (Hyrcanian Forests) conditions. The laboratory experiments were carried out at temperature of 25±1ºC, 70±10% relative humidity and a photo phase of 16 light: 8 dark hours. The average duration of an egg, larva, pre-pupa, pupa, as well as female and male longevity were 5.09±0.04, 23.15±0.17, 1.04±0.02, 7.80±0.05, 15.31±0.73 and 12.92±0.71 days, respectively. As an important pest newly introduced in northern Iran, the Box tree moth completes two and partial third generations per year. The results of this study would be useful for improving pest management strategies.