Potential Factors behind the Decline of <i>Pinus pinea</i> Nut Production in Mediterranean Pine Forests
Mediterranean stone pine nut is appreciated for its high economic and nutritional value. Starting in 2012, <i>Pinus pinea</i> nut production declined throughout the Mediterranean area. The dry cone syndrome associated with this decline and the introduction of <i>Leptoglossus occide...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/9/1167 |
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| author | Yara El Khoury Elise Noujeim Giovanni Bubici Eustachio Tarasco Charbel Al Khoury Nabil Nemer |
| author_facet | Yara El Khoury Elise Noujeim Giovanni Bubici Eustachio Tarasco Charbel Al Khoury Nabil Nemer |
| author_sort | Yara El Khoury |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mediterranean stone pine nut is appreciated for its high economic and nutritional value. Starting in 2012, <i>Pinus pinea</i> nut production declined throughout the Mediterranean area. The dry cone syndrome associated with this decline and the introduction of <i>Leptoglossus occidentalis</i> occurred simultaneously. This study aims to evaluate potential reasons behind the decline in pine nut production in Lebanon, considering climatic factors and the invasion of <i>L. occidentalis.</i> Correlation analysis was used to examine a potential relationship between cone yield and the percentage of damaged seeds per cone. Climatic variables were also tested. Two time periods were considered for analysis: before and after 2012. Cone production and the percentage of damaged seeds were negatively correlated (r = −0.42). From 2012 to 2017, cone production declined by 50% and the percentage of damaged seeds increased on average from 3% in 2012 up to 60% in 2017. Correlations were detected between cone production and the temperature of the hottest three months of the year of harvesting, and between cone production and average temperatures during the year of cone initiation. A conjunction of factors that include <i>L. occidentalis</i> and climatic factors might have affected the pine nut production in Lebanon. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:40:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eb15bd2385174d80ba17ff35308ce281 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:40:08Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-eb15bd2385174d80ba17ff35308ce2812023-11-22T13:07:05ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072021-08-01129116710.3390/f12091167Potential Factors behind the Decline of <i>Pinus pinea</i> Nut Production in Mediterranean Pine ForestsYara El Khoury0Elise Noujeim1Giovanni Bubici2Eustachio Tarasco3Charbel Al Khoury4Nabil Nemer5National Center for Marine Sciences, National Council for Scientific Research-CNRS, Ryad El Solh 1107 2260, 59, Zahia Selman Street, Beirut P.O. Box 11-8281, LebanonNational Center for Marine Sciences, National Council for Scientific Research-CNRS, Ryad El Solh 1107 2260, 59, Zahia Selman Street, Beirut P.O. Box 11-8281, LebanonIstituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze del Suolo, della Pianta e degli Alimenti (Di.S.S.P.A.), Università degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, ItalyDepartment of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Campus, Byblos P.O. Box 36, LebanonDepartment of Agriculture and Food Engineering, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh P.O. Box 446, LebanonMediterranean stone pine nut is appreciated for its high economic and nutritional value. Starting in 2012, <i>Pinus pinea</i> nut production declined throughout the Mediterranean area. The dry cone syndrome associated with this decline and the introduction of <i>Leptoglossus occidentalis</i> occurred simultaneously. This study aims to evaluate potential reasons behind the decline in pine nut production in Lebanon, considering climatic factors and the invasion of <i>L. occidentalis.</i> Correlation analysis was used to examine a potential relationship between cone yield and the percentage of damaged seeds per cone. Climatic variables were also tested. Two time periods were considered for analysis: before and after 2012. Cone production and the percentage of damaged seeds were negatively correlated (r = −0.42). From 2012 to 2017, cone production declined by 50% and the percentage of damaged seeds increased on average from 3% in 2012 up to 60% in 2017. Correlations were detected between cone production and the temperature of the hottest three months of the year of harvesting, and between cone production and average temperatures during the year of cone initiation. A conjunction of factors that include <i>L. occidentalis</i> and climatic factors might have affected the pine nut production in Lebanon.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/9/1167<i>Pinus pinea</i>pine nuts<i>Leptoglossus occidentalis</i>climate |
| spellingShingle | Yara El Khoury Elise Noujeim Giovanni Bubici Eustachio Tarasco Charbel Al Khoury Nabil Nemer Potential Factors behind the Decline of <i>Pinus pinea</i> Nut Production in Mediterranean Pine Forests Forests <i>Pinus pinea</i> pine nuts <i>Leptoglossus occidentalis</i> climate |
| title | Potential Factors behind the Decline of <i>Pinus pinea</i> Nut Production in Mediterranean Pine Forests |
| title_full | Potential Factors behind the Decline of <i>Pinus pinea</i> Nut Production in Mediterranean Pine Forests |
| title_fullStr | Potential Factors behind the Decline of <i>Pinus pinea</i> Nut Production in Mediterranean Pine Forests |
| title_full_unstemmed | Potential Factors behind the Decline of <i>Pinus pinea</i> Nut Production in Mediterranean Pine Forests |
| title_short | Potential Factors behind the Decline of <i>Pinus pinea</i> Nut Production in Mediterranean Pine Forests |
| title_sort | potential factors behind the decline of i pinus pinea i nut production in mediterranean pine forests |
| topic | <i>Pinus pinea</i> pine nuts <i>Leptoglossus occidentalis</i> climate |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/9/1167 |
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