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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Riverside, California » National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Citrus » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #327802
Title: Date palm production and pest management challenges

Author
item WAKIL, WAQAS - Pakistan University Of Agriculture
item FALEIRO, JOSE ROMENO - King Faisal University
item MILLER, THOMAS - University Of California - Cooperative Extension Service
item BEDFORD, GEOFFREY - Macquarie University
item Krueger, Robert

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/25/2016
Publication Date: 12/20/2015
Citation: Wakil, W., Faleiro, J. Romeno,Miller, T.A., Bedford, G.O., Krueger, R.R. 2015. Date palm production and pest management challenges. In: Wakli, W., Falerio, J.R., Miller, T.A., editors. Sustainability in Plant and Crop Protection. Berlin, Germany: Springer.com. p.1-11. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-24397-9_1.

Interpretive Summary: Interpretive summary: Date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, is an important tree crop in the arid regions of the world. Date palm is important to the agrarian economy of several countries, with the ability to withstand severe abiotic stresses prevalent in the world’s arid regions, including hot and dry climatic conditions, water stress and salinity. Date palm production is threatened by abiotic factors such as climate change, unrestrained use of chemical insecticides and extensive international trade, which may also affect the pest/disease complex associated with date palms. The biology and sustainable management of major insect and mite pests affecting date palms are presented, as are phyto-plasma diseases and their insect vectors and innovative methods for managing storage pests of dates.

Technical Abstract: Abstract: Date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, is a monocotyledonous species belong- ing to the palm family (Arecaceae or Palmae) which is perennial and dioecious and cultivated mostly in the arid regions of the world. Date palm is important to the agrarian economy of several countries, with the ability to withstand severe abiotic stresses prevalent in the world’s arid regions, including hot and dry climatic condi- tions, water stress and salinity. A recent report on the arthropod fauna of date palm lists 112 species of insects and mites associated with it worldwide, including 22 species attacking stored dates. In several date producing countries, the monoculture type of date palm cultivation, climate change, unrestrained use of chemical insecti- cides and extensive international trade is likely to impact the pest complex and its natural enemies in the date agroecosystems. Considering the significance of date palm, we summarize the biology and sustainable management of major insect and mite pests addressing related challenges and future research areas. The emerging role of semiochemicals in date palm IPM is described including new strategies inmating disruption, “attract-and-kill” and “push-pull” technologies. Also phyto- plasma diseases and their insect vectors are discussed, besides innovative methods for managing storage pests of dates.