The Prevalence and Control of Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Oliver (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Infestations on Date Palms in Bangladesh

A B S T R A C T

The red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Oliver (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is an invasive and destructive insect pest of date palms in many countries of the world, as well as in Bangladesh. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and control technique of RPW at four locations in Bangladesh, viz., (i) BSRI farm, Ishurdi, Pabna; (ii) RSRS farm, Gazipur; (iii) Pirozali, Gazipur; and (iv) Goaspur, Pabna. A total of four integrated pest management (IPM) packages, such as (i) only pheromone trapping in the garden (March, May, July, September) (package 1); (ii) plantation of repellent plant + netting around the garden (February-August) + pheromone trapping (March, May, July, and September) (package 2); (ii) plantation of repellent plant + netting around the garden (February-August) + pheromone trapping (March, May, July, September) + application of Fipronil (Regent 3GR) in soil (March and July) (package 3); and (iv) plantation of repellent plant + netting around the garden (February-August) + pheromone trapping (March, May, July, and September) + spraying chloropyriphos (Dursban 20 EC) (May and September) (package 4) were applied in date palm gardens. The results revealed that the RPW population was 9.66 to 37.66; 16.00 to 38.33; 10.33 to 32.33; and 8.33 to 33.33 weevil garden^-1 in 2020, and in 2021, it was 7.33 to 39.66; 9.33 to 40.64; 8.00 to 37.33; and 5.33 to 33.33 weevil garden^-1 during the peak period of infestation in September in the date palm gardens treated with the IPM packages in BSRI Farm, RSRS Farm, Pirozali, and Goaspur locations, respectively. Among the four IPM packages, the significantly lowest population of 9.66, 16.00, 10.33, and 8.33 weevil garden^-1 was found in 2020, and the population of 7.33, 9.33, 8.00, and 8.33 weevil garden^-1 was found in 2021 in the gardens treated with package 4 in both locations, respectively. Therefore, IPM package 4 showed more potential against R. ferrugineus in field conditions and can be used as an alternative to only chemical pesticides, for the sustainable management of R. ferrugineus.

Keywords: Date palm; Red palm weevil; infestation; pheromone trap and control.

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