Evaluating Field Management Protocol of the Invasive Pest Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus at Basra, Iraq

Monthly monitoring of the red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus populations was conducted using pheromone traps (RHYFER 700). A six-year evaluation (2017-2022) assessed the effectiveness of a twice-yearly chemical control program. This protocol involved aerial spraying and injection of the insecticides imidacloprid and deltamethrin at Safwan County of Basra, Iraq. The results obtained showed that the infestation levels of RPW across the studied orchards varied in 2017. However, in the year 2022, a noticeable reduction in infestation was observed suggesting that the control protocol used was effective. The captured numbers of RPW adults per pheromone trap exhibited notable fluctuations during the study years. The monthly population of captured RPW showed also significant variation; the highest mean numbers of captured adults per trap were 2.06 and 2.47 weevils/trap in March and April, respectively. However, the lowest average number of captured weevils was 0.51 and 0.54 weevils/trap in January and December, respectively. Consistently, the sex ratio of RPW populations in Safwan County exhibited a bias towards female weevils. The study emphasized the need for continuous monitoring, which is essential for the adaptive pest management strategies of RPW infestations in date palm orchards. Keywords: Chemical control, date palm, red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, pheromone trap.