Le specie aliene negli agro-ecosistemi : implicazioni pratiche ed aspetti ecologici

Alien insect invasion has greatly increased in recent years in Italy on crops, forests, urban environments and even natural ecosystems. Their accession-rate over about 60 years has increased from about 0.5-1 species/year in the 1950s –‘60s to about 7-8 species/year in the last two decades. Several of these alien species have become the primary pests of cultivated plants either through direct or indirect damage, as vectors of plant diseases.Trade and tourist activities are thought to mainly account for the majority of exotic pest accession, some of which may affect plants in woodlands and natural ecosystems. Quarantine phytosanitary measures appear to not always be effective in preventing the accidental introduction of alien species. Therefore, the risk of further accession remains consequently very high.