Volume 8 | Issue - 6
Volume 8 | Issue - 6
Volume 8 | Issue - 6
Volume 8 | Issue - 6
Volume 8 | Issue - 5
Apate monachus Fabricius 1775 (Coleoptera: Apatidae) is recognized as the second most significant pest affecting date palms in Algeria, primarily targeting the leaves of date palm trees. This study aims to assess the incidence of Apate monachus attacks based on the cultivar and the age of the date palms. Observations were conducted through direct field assessments at least once or twice weekly to gather comprehensive data. The study was conducted over a period from June 2021 to June 2022 across three date palm farms (Farm I with 650 date palms, Farm II with 1,708 date palms, and Farm III with 100 date palms). During each observation period, the number of date palm leaves exhibiting symptoms of Apate monachus infestation was recorded. Infested leaves were then cut to evaluate the extent and decrease of the infestations. Results indicated that younger date palms (10 to 15 years old) are more susceptible to attacks by Apate monachus, with attack rates ranging from 10% to 32.1%. The overall attack rate across the three farms was found to be 15.1%, with specific rates of 24.4% for Farm I, 13.13% for Farm II, and 15.56% for Farm III. The cultivar most adversely affected by Apate monachus was Ghars, exhibiting an attack rate of 84.27%, followed by Degla-Beida at 67.08%, and a minimal rate of 0.27% for Deglet-Nour.