CAB Reviews 2017 12, No. 049 Arthropod pests of date palm and their management H. A. F. El-Shafie1,2*, B. M. A. Abdel-Banat1,2 and M. R. Al-Hajhoj1 Address: 1 Date Palm Center of Research Excellence, King Faisal University, Al-Hofuf, 31982-Al-Hassa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 2 Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, 13314-Shambat, Sudan. *Correspondence: Hamadttu Abdel Farag El-Shafie. Email: [email protected] Received: 12 October 2017 Accepted: 7 November 2017 doi: 10.1079/PAVSNNR201712049 The electronic version of this article is the definitive one. It is located here: http://www.cabi.org/cabreviews © CAB International 2017 (Online ISSN 1749-8848) Abstract This review lists 132 species of insect and mite pests associated with date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) grown worldwide. These species are distributed among eight insect orders and 30 families, besides one order of mite comprising nine families. Most of the species (52) were reported on the leaf (frond), while 26 species were associated with the roots and trunk. Green fruits with their stalks and stored dates hosted 27 species each. Coleoptera represented 41% of the listed pest species, followed by Hemiptera (20%), Acari (16%) and Lepidoptera (12%). Although the number of date palm pest species seems to be high, only a few species are considered major pests of economic importance. The major pests include the red palm weevil, (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus), old world date mite (Oligonychus afrasiaticus), lesser date moth (Batrachedra amydraula), Dubas date bug (Ommatissus lybicus), green pit scale (Palmaspis phoenicis), carob moth (Ectomyelois ceratoniae), date palm longhorn beetle (Jebusaea hammerschmidti), and almond moth (Cadra cautella). The review also lists 90 species of predators and parasitoids representing nine orders and 23 families, indicating their potential role in date palm pest management. The paper summarizes the current knowledge on management tactics including monitoring, agrotechnical measures, biological control, semiochemical-based control and chemical control. The implementation of integrated pest management strategies against major pests, based on the above-mentioned tactics, is discussed. The information gathered in this review indicates that strict quarantine, semiochemicals including pheromones and training and education of farmers are expected to play a central role in area-wide IPM of major date palm pests. Keywords: Date palm, Arthropod pests, Natural enemies, Pest management, Phoenix dactylifera, Agrotechnical measures, Chemical control Review Methodology: The CAB abstract database was searched for the following keywords: date palm, arthropod pests and pest management. Additionally, published works in recognized journals, books and book chapters were thoroughly reviewed for relevant information. Common names and taxonomic status of insects and mites and their natural enemies were selected according to the common names of Insect Database of Entomological Society of America [1] for species available in that database. Introduction countries namely, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iraq, Algeria, United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Oman and Morocco. The date palm, Phoenix dactylifera L. (Arecales: Arecaceae) Date Palm is also found in Australia, Mexico, Namibia, Peru, is an important food and cash crop thriving well in hot arid South Africa, Spain and USA [6]. Pakistan and India also regions of the world [2]. It is believed to have originated in cultivate date palm despite the heavy monsoon rains that Mesopotamia (Iraq) where it has been cultivated some coincide with the ripening of dates [2]. The date palm has 6000 years ago [3]. Date palm had played a significant role been carried out from Mesopotamia to other parts of the in the economy of some date-producing countries, and the world [6]. Factors such as monoculture of date palm, global global production has increased from 1.8 million tons in warming, unrestricted application of insecticides and global 1962 to about 8 million tons in 2012 [4, 5]. Of this yield, movement of date palm planting materials have influenced 88% is produced in the Middle East and North African the pest complex and its natural enemies [5]. A good http://www.cabi.org/cabreviews 2 CAB Reviews example of this change is the red palm weevil, which has that exploit date palm as a resource such as the red palm invaded the Middle East in 1985. The weevil, a pest of weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus that has been reported to coconut, is originally from the warm humid South and attack 40 palm species worldwide including date palm [77]. Southeast Asia has been now a major pest of date palm in The carob moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae is an opportunistic the arid hot regions of the Middle East. Being evergreen with feeder and has 43 hosts from 18 plant families [61]. a unique morphology, the date palm provides shelter and food for a wide array of arthropod pests and their natural enemies. Diseases and pests that account for 30% loss in Feeding Behaviour, Nature of Damage and yield [7] are the main biotic constraints that hamper date Economic Importance palm cultivation and production. The nature and severity of the problems, however, vary with cultivar, location, The feeding patterns of date palm arthropod pests could be weather and cultural practices [8, 9]. Date palm has a broadly classified into three main categories; sap feeders, wide genetic diversity, and approximately 3000 cultivars defoliators and borers. (I) The sap feeders have piercing- exist in the world [10]. However, many pests and diseases sucking or rasping mouthparts that suck the sap causing threaten this genetic variability unless proper management chlorotic spots and discoloration on the affected parts. This is undertaken. Buxton [11] reviewed the insect pests of date group comprises the tiny phytophagous mites, thrips, scale palm in Mesopotamia (Iraq). The literature contains concise insects, mealy bugs, issid bugs and dubas bug. They are reports and lists of date palm pests from Oman, Jordon, found outside the date palm at the crown regions where Libya, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Yemen, Sudan, soft and succulent tissues exist [78]. Mites are found on Pakistan, Tunisia, Palestine, and the USA. Carpenter and either the leaf blade or developing fruits where they may Elmer [8] who listed 54 arthropod pests of date palm gave cause 100% loss in yield. The date dust mite, Oligonychus the first worldwide review on date palm pest. A compre- afrasiaticus and the lesser date moth, Batrachedra amydraula hensive review on date palm pests in Israel listed 16 major are by far the most important pests damaging date palm and 15 minor insect and mite pests [12], which could give an developing fruits [14]. (II) Date palm defoliators are insects overview of the pest complex of date palm in neighbouring characterized by having chewing mouthparts. They include countries. It has been reported that the arthropod fauna of grasshopper, locusts, some beetles from the family date palm in the different countries of the Middle East and Buprestidae, and caterpillars of some moths. Locusts can Gulf regions are not isolated from each other [12, 13]. be a serious and devastating pest on date palm during the El-Shafie [14] listed 112 insect and mites pests associated plague and huge swarms where complete defoliation of with date palm worldwide as well as 45 predators and the crown could occur resulting in checking productivity of parasitoids. The main damaging taxonomic groups on date the palm for at least 3 years [12]. (III) Borers of economic palm are Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Hemiptera from importance on date palm include the invasive red palm insects and Acari from mites. This review is devoted to weevil, the longhorn date palm stem borer, rhinoceros arthropod pests (insects and mites) of the date palm and beetles and frond borers. They feed inside the palm trunk, non-arthropod pests such as birds, flying bats, rodents, frond and fruit bunch stalk by excavating tunnels and nematodes, mollusks, pathogenic fungi, bacteria and viruses galleries in the internal tissues of the palm. Severe infes- are not included. The review enlists most arthropods pests tation by this group, particularly the red palm weevil and of date palm worldwide available in the literature with the longhorn borer, eventually lead to the collapse and emphasis on the management of species of economic death of the palm. The damage on date palm by one species importance including the role of their natural enemies. may depend on the damage by another species. For example, the larvae of almond moth, Cadra cautella [8], readily infest dates damaged by the oriental wasp, Vespa Insect and Mite Pests Associated with Date Palm orientalis [29, 51]. The damage of stone beetle on date fruits predispose them to subsequent attack by the sap beetle In this review, 132 species of insects and mites have been [12]. Among the listed date palm arthropod pests, a few reported to be associated with date palm (Tables 1–4). were reported to vector diseases. The date palm fruit These species were classified according to the preferred bunch borer, Oryctes elegans has been reported to transmit part they attack on date palm. Species that attack more than Fusarium proliferatum, the causal agent of wilt and dieback one part of the date palm were classified according to the disease in date palm [79]. The date palm leafhopper, part on which it inflicts the most economical damage. Cicadulina bipunctata (Melichar),