Effect of Weather Factors on Seasonal Population Fluctuation of Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculioinidae) Adults Attracted to Pheromone Traps at El-Sharkia Governorate, in Egypt

Arafa, Olfat E.; Barakatt, M. M. A.

doi:10.21608/jppp.2021.220017

Effect of Weather Factors on Seasonal Population Fluctuation of Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculioinidae) Adults Attracted to Pheromone Traps at El-Sharkia Governorate, in Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Olfat E. Arafa ¹
M. M. A. Barakatt ²

¹ Plant Protection Res. Inst. Agric. Res. Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

² Central Laboratory for Date Palm Research and Development, Agric.Res.Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Giza, Egypt

10.21608/jppp.2021.220017

Abstract

The Seasonal population fluctuation of red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier (RPW) (male and females) was estimatedduring two successive seasons (2017/2018 and 2018/2019) by using aggregation pheromone traps in date palm orchards located at Newly Salhea district, El-Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. The results obtained during the two successive seasons of study showed that, the average number of insects per year was different. Season, 2018/2019 was highest more than season, 2017/2018.The highest number adult stage of red palm weevil, RPWcaptured by pheromone traps was recorded in April. Four peaks of swarming activity on date palm trees throughout the two seasons April, November, March and May, respectively. In both seasons, the first peak occurred during April, while the second one occurred during November. Number of attracted female was considerable high than attracted males. Where the sex rstio % for male percentages were 1: 1.85% for male and female, respectively in season 2017/2018 while in season, 2018/2019 the male percentages were 1: 1.75 % for male and female, respectively. These results also revealed that effect of weather factors on capturing both simple correlation and regression values were insignificant positive effects for maximum, temperature and wind velocity on number of captured adults of RPW in the two seasons, while it was insignificant negative effects for mini Temp. , max, Mini relative humidity and the explained variance percentage (E.v. %) for the three weather factors on the number of captured adult was 7.88%.

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