Nato a Catania nel 1961. Aprile 1992, assume servizio in qualità di ricercatore universitario afferente al gruppo disciplinare G04 “Difesa della produzione vegetale” presso l’Istituto di Entomologia agraria dell’Università di Catania. Luglio 2006, viene confermato come professore associato per il SSD AGR 11 “Entomologia generale e applicata” presso l’Università di Catania.
Ha maturato una più che trentennale esperienza di ricerca sia di base che applicata sulle tecniche di lotta integrata contro gli insetti fitofagi di importanza economica in colture di interesse agrario, con particolare riferimento ad agrumi e colture protette; in tale ambito, si è interessato in particolare ad aleirodidi, cocciniglie e minatori fogliari.
Dal 1992 opera attivamente nell’ambito del IOBC/wprs Working Groups on “Integrated control of citrus fruit pests” e più recentemente “Integrated Control in Protected Crops-Mediterranean Climate”.
I suoi interessi scientifici prevalenti riguardano:
– strategie di controllo biologico e integrato dei fitofagi in agrosistemi mediterranei;
– valorizzazione delle biocenosi antagoniste di fitofagi di interesse economico;
– biologia di antagonisti naturali di fitofagi.
Affiliato alla Società Entomologica Italiana (SEI) Sezione di Entomologia agraria dal 1991 e alla IOBC/WPRS dal 1992.

Siscaro G, Lo Pumo C, Tropea Garzia G, Tortorici S, Gugliuzzo A, Ricupero M, Biondi A, Zappalà L. (2019). Temperature and tomato variety influence the development and the plant damage induced by the zoophytophagous mirid bug nesidiocoris tenuis. J Pest Sci 92(3):1049-56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-019-01096-7

Naselli M, Zappalà L, Gugliuzzo A, Tropea Garzia G, Biondi A, Rapisarda C, Cincotta F, Condurso C, Verzera A, Siscaro G (2017). Olfactory response of the zoophytophagous mirid Nesidiocoris tenuis to tomato and alternative host plants. Arthropod-Plant Interactions, vol. 11, p. 121-131, ISSN: 1872-8855, doi: 10.1007/s11829-016-9481-5

Biondi A, Zappalà L, Di Mauro A, Tropea Garzia G, Russo A, Desneux N, Siscaro G (2016). Can alternative host plant and prey affect phytophagy and biological control by the zoophytophagous mirid Nesidiocoris tenuis? Biocontrol, vol. 61, p. 79-90, ISSN: 1386-6141, doi: 10.1007/s10526-015-9700-5

Zappalà L, Biondi A, Alma A, Al-Jboory I J, Arnò J, Bayram A, Chailleux A, El-Arnaouty A, Gerling D, Guenaoui Y, Shaltiel-Harpaz L, Siscaro G, Stavrinides M, Tavella L, Vercher Aznar R, Urbaneja A, Desneux N (2013). Natural enemies of the South American moth, Tuta absoluta, in Europe, North Africa and Middle East, and their potential use in pest control strategies. Journal of Pest Science, vol. 86, p. 635-647, ISSN: 1612-4758, doi: 10.1007/s10340-013-0531-9.

Zappalà L, Bernardo U, Biondi A, Cocco A, Deliperi S, Delrio G, Giorgini M, Pedata P, Rapisarda C, Tropea Garzia G, Siscaro G (2012). Recruitment of native parasitoids by the exotic pest Tuta absoluta in Southern Italy. Bulletin of Insectology, vol. 65, p. 51-61, ISSN: 1721-8861

He was born in Catania, Italy in 1961. April 1992, he was on duty as researcher at the University of Catania. July 2006, he obtained the tenure track as associate professor of General and applied Entomology at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Applied entomology division of the University of Catania, which is his current position.
He has gained more than thirty-year’ experience in basic and applied research on sustainable control strategies of insect pests of economic importance in Italy, with special reference to citrus and protected crops. In this context, he focused on whiteflies, scales and leaf miners.
From 1992, he operates actively within the IOBC/WPRS Working Groups on “Integrated Control of Citrus Fruit Pests” and “Integrated Control in Protected Crops-Mediterranean Climate”.
His research focuses on the following aspects:
-integrated pest management of crop pests;
-enhancement and exploitation of the antagonistic biocenoses of pests of economic importance;
-biology of natural enemies of crop pests.
He is member of the Società Entomologica Italiana (SEI) (Italian Entomological Society) – Section of Agricultural entomology (from 1991) and IOBC/WPRS (from 1992)

Siscaro G, Lo Pumo C, Tropea Garzia G, Tortorici S, Gugliuzzo A, Ricupero M, Biondi A, Zappalà L. (2019). Temperature and tomato variety influence the development and the plant damage induced by the zoophytophagous mirid bug nesidiocoris tenuis. J Pest Sci 92(3):1049-56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-019-01096-7

Naselli M, Zappalà L, Gugliuzzo A, Tropea Garzia G, Biondi A, Rapisarda C, Cincotta F, Condurso C, Verzera A, Siscaro G (2017). Olfactory response of the zoophytophagous mirid Nesidiocoris tenuis to tomato and alternative host plants. Arthropod-Plant Interactions, vol. 11, p. 121-131, ISSN: 1872-8855, doi: 10.1007/s11829-016-9481-5

Biondi A, Zappalà L, Di Mauro A, Tropea Garzia G, Russo A, Desneux N, Siscaro G (2016). Can alternative host plant and prey affect phytophagy and biological control by the zoophytophagous mirid Nesidiocoris tenuis? Biocontrol, vol. 61, p. 79-90, ISSN: 1386-6141, doi: 10.1007/s10526-015-9700-5

Zappalà L, Biondi A, Alma A, Al-Jboory I J, Arnò J, Bayram A, Chailleux A, El-Arnaouty A, Gerling D, Guenaoui Y, Shaltiel-Harpaz L, Siscaro G, Stavrinides M, Tavella L, Vercher Aznar R, Urbaneja A, Desneux N (2013). Natural enemies of the South American moth, Tuta absoluta, in Europe, North Africa and Middle East, and their potential use in pest control strategies. Journal of Pest Science, vol. 86, p. 635-647, ISSN: 1612-4758, doi: 10.1007/s10340-013-0531-9.

Zappalà L, Bernardo U, Biondi A, Cocco A, Deliperi S, Delrio G, Giorgini M, Pedata P, Rapisarda C, Tropea Garzia G, Siscaro G (2012). Recruitment of native parasitoids by the exotic pest Tuta absoluta in Southern Italy. Bulletin of Insectology, vol. 65, p. 51-61, ISSN: 1721-8861