2. Insect pests associated with date palm cultivars at district Kech, Balochistan
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Abstract
To monitor the insect pest populations on date palm, different commercial cultivars such as, Begum Jangi, Muzwati, Shakri and Aseel were selected in district Kech of Balochistan during 2014. The pheromone traps were placed on date palm trees and weekly trap catches were counted for different insect pest species. The insect pests were identified as Lesser date moth (Batrachedra amydraula Meyrick), Red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier), Rhinoceros beetles (Oryctes spp.) and Scale insects (Parlatoria blanchardi) and (Phoenico coccusmarlatti Cockerell). This study was started from 07thApril 2014 to 06thAugust, 2014 in order to monitor pest species on certain commercial cultivars. The results showed a significant (P<0.05) difference in date palm varieties for insect pest population. All the insect pests (red palm weevil, lesser date moth, beetles and scale insects) remained on trees. The red palm weevil catches were highest (79.82) on variety Shakri, while the lowest (39.35) trap catches were counted on variety Aseel. The Lesser date moth population was significantly higher (49.97) on variety Begum Jangi, while the low (24.83) seasonal trap catches counted on variety Aseel. The population of beetles was higher (199.64) on variety Shakri, while the seasonal lowest (101.46) population of beetles counted on variety Aseel. The population of scale insects was higher (104.19) on Shakri variety, while the seasonal lowest (52.24) population of scale insects were on variety Aseel. Variety Aseel indicated relative resistance to all the insect pests monitored, while variety Shakri was least accepting to insect pests with highest insect pest population.
Keywords: Date palm; Insect pests; Kech Balochistan; Peak population; Pheromone traps
http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2018.700137