[Edited_by_A._Ciancio,_C.N.R.,_Bari,_Italy_and_K.(Bookos.org)

IPM OF RED PALM WEEVIL
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(Anonymous, 2000). A pack of kairomone (synthetic volatile material induced
by palm tissues which attracts RPW) is attached beside the pack of the
aggregation pheromone on the inner surface of the lid, to enhance the rate of
capture. Recently, some companies are producing a pack of a mixture of
aggregation pheromone and kairomone.
A field trial was carried out to evaluate the rate of catch of the pheromone
plus kairomone traps, compared to those with pheromone only. The trial
revealed that the pheromone plus kairomone traps captured more weevils than
the traps without kairomone. However, the difference in capture rates between
traps was insignificant. Pieces of palm tissues, date fruits or sugar-cane were
considered to have a role in pheromone traps. The catch of R. ferrugineus in
pheromone traps containing the commercial aggregation pheromone and dates
was hence compared to the catch in traps containing either the pheromone alone
or dates alone. The numbers of RPW captured in 16 traps during a year were
1,752, 181 and 54 insects for the three treatments, respectively (Al-Saoud,
2007). Similarly, Chinchilla et al. (1993) reported that pheromone traps of R.
palmarum captured 6–30 times more weevils than traps containing palm tissues
or sugar-cane alone.
Figure 2. Pheromone terrestrial traps.
5.2.2. Trap Installation
Pheromone traps were reported to be attached or hung close to palm trees at 1–
1.7 m height (Oehlschlager, Chinchilla, & Gonzales, 1992; Chinchilla et al.,
1993; Abd-Allah & Al-Khatri, 2000b). In field trials, rate of catch of RPW was
evaluated in pheromone traps with plastic lids in three date palm plantations
installed at a rate of 1 trap per ha (Anonymous, 2000). In each plantation, 6 traps
were buried in the soil up to the lateral holes below the lid of the trap (terrestrial
traps, Fig. 2) and another 6 were hung on the palms trunks at a height of 1.5 m
(aerial traps). The weevils from both traps in the three plantations were collected
weekly, from April to November, and transferred to laboratory where their
numbers were recorded. It was found that the monthly average capture of
terrestrial traps was 2–3 folds the aerial traps (Fig. 3).
5.2.3. Density of Traps
A field trial was carried out in UAE to compare the catch of pheromone traps
installed at rates of 1, 2 or 4 traps per ha, in three date palm plantations