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Western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis) challenging stone pine cropping in the Southern HemisphereArtículo de revistaStone pine edible seeds are highly appreciated and increasingly demanded. However, kernel yield (percentage of total weight corresponding to kernel) has halved in European producing countries largely due to the attack of the invasive seed-feeding insect Leptoglossus occidentalis. In the Southern Hemisphere, where new stone pine plantations have shown positive results in terms of growth, cone production and health, the exotic seed pest L. occidentalis was first detected in 2017 in Chile, with observed changes and damages having been subsequently reported. The objective of this study was to assess cone and seed traits, and kernel-per-cone yield in P. pinea in Chile before and after the detection of the regional presence of L. occidentalis in 2017. Cone, seed and kernel traits were assessed in seven plantations from central Chile from 2010 to 2015 (before L. occidentalis arrival) and from 2018 to 2019 (after the pest arrival). For the kernels, three types of insect damage were quantified: type I (endosperm/embryo damage), type II (endosperm elimination) and type III (empty seeds). Results showed an average kernel yield of 4.0 ± 0.1%, with no differences between periods. However, in Mulchén, a significant decrease was recorded in cone weight, seed weight and kernels per cone. Regarding kernel analysis, significant increases in damage types I and II were found in all plantations after 2017. Cone assignment to weight categories showed that type I (partially damaged kernel) was the most frequent (58.6%) damage in heavy cones (>550 g), and damage type II was frequent in cones of <350 g in weight (51.4%). Thus, it is necessary to monitor the advance of the insect and its effects on stone pine cropping in non-native habitats. Given that in the southern area of Latin America stone pine is grown in managed plantations, biological and/or chemical control might be applied to limit the negative impact of L. occidentalis. Mediterranean Pinus pinea L. nuts from Southern Hemisphere provenancesArtículo de revistaStone pine nuts, the most expensive dry fruit worldwide, have been characterized mostly for the main producer countries, located in the Northern Hemisphere. A proximate composition analysis of pine nuts harvested from seven areas located in the Southern Hemisphere (Argentina, Australia, Chile and New Zealand) was performed. Pine nuts showed significant differences in dietary fiber and minerals, probably due to the different climate and environmental conditions, confirming the species’ plasticity and adaptability. Australian pine nuts showed a different profile, with the highest values for protein, lipids and ashes, and the lowest for dietary fiber. Studied pine nuts showed values comparable to the ones reported for the species in its native habitat. Results confirmed that high-quality Mediterranean pine nuts might be produced in the areas included in this study, with practical implications for stone pine cropping in non-native habitats and for the later marketing of pine nuts. Short-term stem diameter variations in irrigated and non-irrigated stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) trees in a xeric non-native environmentArtículo de revistaIrrigation of adult stone pine trees growing in a xeric non-native habitat had positive effects not only in stem diameter growth but also in tree response to climatic variability. The aim was improve our understanding of the effect of irrigation on (1) stem diameter changes of stone pine trees in a drought-prone environment in Chile and (2) the sensitivity of the species to weather conditions. Studied daily stem diameter changes in irrigated and non-irrigated 31-year-old stone pine trees during a growing season with below average precipitation in Chile. Short-term diameter changes were recorded using high-resolution dendrometers. The detrended daily stem diameter changes, expressing tree water status, were correlated with weather variability in both irrigated and non-irrigated trees. Irrigation increased stone pine productivity in this xeric environment and reduced the correlations between daily stem diameter variations and local climatic variability. Enhancing Pinus pinea cone production by grafting in a non‑native habitatArtículo de revistaPinus pinea is an interesting species for its valued pine nuts. Despite the high demand for this nut, the species is mostly harvested from natural forests, because the time elapsed until the trees come into production hinders advances toward a more intensive cultivation. The grafting technique has been used to favor an earlier production in native Mediterranean habitats. In Chile, stone pine has been recently included in orchards. The objective of this study was to assess the initial performance in terms of growth, entry into production and cone yield of three grafting trials of the species established in Chile; two of the trials included nursery-grafted plants and the other, in situ grafting of P. pinea on a 3-year-old P. radiata plantation. An earlier entry into production and a higher number of female strobili and 1-year-old conelets (up to 2.9 times) were found in nursery-grafted plants compared with control seedlings. Growth was higher in trees in situ grafted onto radiata pine than in seedlings; eight years after grafting, the trees had achieved reproductive maturity, 67% had on average three cones per tree, and the presence of female strobili and 1-year-old conelets was 6.6 and 15.6 times higher than in seedlings, respectively. Radiata pine could be a feasible rootstock for either in-nursery or in situ stone pine grafting. Grafting accelerated stone pine entry into production, showing to be an effective tool for stone pine propagation and cropping.