Current Status of the red palm weevil in Canary Island date palms in recreation areas of Adana province, Turkey

Abstract

The destructive infestation of the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Oliver, 1790) in the Canary Island palm trees (Phoenix canariensis L.) grown as ornamentals was first detected in Adana province, Turkey in 2007. For 4 years (2007-2010) following the discovery of the pest damage, preventative and curative treatments of chemical insecticides as well as weevils trapping and sanitation efforts were carried out in Adana. Additionally, natural infestations with the entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, (Poinar, 1975) on the weevil individuals were also evaluated. A significant decrease in number of captured beetles by traps was found in 2009 and continued following year. The sex ratio of captured adults was significantly female-biased (~ %70 of total catch was females). Seasonal mortality rate by the EPN in the total larval population (total 1304 specimens) of R. ferrugineus was 50%. EPN resulted in a significant mortality rate (85%) in the pupae population (total 656 specimens). EPN also killed a few adults, corresponding to 1-5% of the mortality rate. The fact that no new infestation on date palm trees has been found since 2010, indicating that control efforts including trapping, prophylactic chemical insecticide treatments and natural infestation of the EPN have been successful in reduction of the RPW populations in Adana province.

Keywords

• Rhynchophorus ferrugineus
• date palm
• trapping
• insecticide treatment
• entomopathogenic nematode

Kırmızı palmiyeböceği’nin Adana ilinde rekresyon alanlarındaki Kanarya hurması ağaçlarında mevcut durumu

Abstract

Kırmızı palmiyeböceği (KPB), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Oliver, 1790)’nin Kanarya hurması (yalancı hurma) ağaçlarındaki ağır zararı Adana ilinde ilk kez 2007 yılında saptanmıştır. Böceğin zararının saptanmasını takip eden 4 yıllık süreçte (2007-2010), koruyucu ve tedavi edici kimyasal insektisit uygulamaları, erginlerin tuzakla yakalanması ve sanitasyon çalışmaları sürdürülmüştür. İlave olarak, entomopatojen nematot (EPN), Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, (Poinar, 1975) KPB üzerindeki doğal enfeksiyonları da değerlendirilmiştir. Tuzaklarda yakalanan ergin sayılarında azalma 2009 yılında saptanmış ve bu azalma takip eden yılda da devam etmiştir. Yakalanan erginlerin cinsiyet oranı önemli oranda dişi lehine olmuştur (yakalanan bireylerin yaklaşık %70’i dişi bireylerdir). R. ferrugineus’un toplam larva popülasyonunda (toplam 1304 adet) EPN nedeniyle ölüm oranı %50 olarak bulunmuştur. EPN pupa popülasyonunda (toplam 656 adet) önemli oranda ölüme (%80) neden olmuştur. EPN, az sayıda ergin bireyi de öldürmüş olup, ölüm oranları %1-5 arasında değişmiştir. 2010 yılından bu yana hurma ağaçlarında yeni infeksiyonların olmaması; tuzaklama, koruyucu kimyasal insektisit uygulamalarının ve ayrıca EPN’ın doğal infeksiyonlarının Adana ilinde KPB popülasyonun azalmasında başarı sağladığını göstermektedir

Keywords

• Rhynchophorus ferrugineus
• date palm
• trapping
• insecticide treatment
• entomopathogenic nematode

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