FACTORS AFFECTING INFESTATION PATTERN OF THE RED PALM WEEVIL, RHYNCHOPHORUS FERRUGINEUS OLIV. IN DATE PALM FARMS IN QATIF, SAUDI ARABIA
2009
Sahar A. El-Sayed | Rania Z. El-Shennawy | A.F Tolba
The red palm weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is the most destructive pest of date palm Phoenix dactylifera L. in Middle East particularly in ArabGulf countries. Distribution of RPW infestations in relation to some factors was studied in date palm farms in Qatif Governorate, EasternSaudi Arabia. For these studies, 80 farms containing over 11000 date-palm trees were inspected. A scale for grading the infestation severity was developed. Numerical, but not statistical differences were in infestation levels with RPW, were found among farms due to their location (desert or oasis), irrigation system (dripping or flooding), intercropping (with or without) and pruning condition (pruned or unpruned). However, too small farms (less than 100 palm trees/farm) or too large farms (over 1000 trees) were highly infested while farms of 400-800 trees/farm were the least infested. Over 42% of infestations were concentrated at or below the soil surface. Light or surface infestations formed 45% while severe or deep infestations formed 19% of total infestations. Trees of 5-10 years old were the most infested while trees over 15 years were the least infested.
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