Page 3 - Volume 5, Issue 1, January 2012
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© Benaki Phytopathological Institute
1
Unitat Associada d’ Entomologia Agrícola UJI-IV-
IA; Institut Valencià d’ Investigacions Agràries (IVIA);
Ctra Montcada-Nàquera km 4.5; E-46113-Montcada
(Spain)
2
Departament de Ciències Agràries i del Medi Natu-
ral; Unitat Associada d’Entomologia Agrícola UJI-
IVIA; Universitat Jaume I (UJI); Campus del Riu Sec ;
E-12071- Castelló de la Plana (Spain)
Corresponding author:
Hellenic Plant Protection Journal
5:
1-12, 2012
REVIEW ARTICLE
Bio-ecology and integrated management of the red palm
weevil,
Rhynchophorus ferrugineus
(Coleoptera: Curculionidae),
in the region of Valencia (Spain)
Ó. Dembilio
1
* and J.A. Jacas
2
Summary
The invasive red palm weevil,
Rhynchophorus ferrugineus
Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculioni-
dae), is one of the most destructive pests of palms in the world. It is widely distributed in all continents
and has been reported on 26 palm species belonging to 16 different genera. In the Mediterranean ba-
sin,
R. ferrugineus
has become the major pest of palms, mainly
Phoenix canariensis
hort. ex Chabaud, an
endemic palm to the Canary Islands widely used as ornamental. In this manuscript we summarize the
research that the UJI-IVIA Unit has carried out on this pest. The first objective of our work was to deter-
mine different bio-ecological parameters of
R. ferrugineus
under natural conditions in a Mediterranean
climate.
Washingtonia filifera
is the only palm species included in our studies showing mechanisms of
complete resistance against
R. ferrugineus
. Although
Chamaerops humilis
and
Phoenix theophrasti
show
antixenotic and antibiotic mechanisms of resistance, respectively, they cannot be considered as resis-
tant against
R. ferrugineus
. Under Mediterranean climate, the preimaginal development of
R. ferrug-
ineus
in
P. canariensis
takes 666.5 DD and the weevil can complete 13 larval instars. Based on the results
obtained, less than one generation per year can be expected in areas with a mean annual temperature
(MAT) below 15ºC and more than two in those with MAT above 19ºC. Oviposition in
R. ferrugineus
is also
strongly affected by temperature. The thresholds for oviposition and egg hatching obtained are very
close to MAT registered in most of the northern shore of the Mediterranean basin. Under these circum-
stances, no new infestations would be expected during most of the winter. The second objective has
been to improve chemical and biological control. Both imidacloprid and
Steinernema carpocapsae
in a
chitosan formulation are highly effective against
R. ferrugineus
in the field. Different timings and prod-
uct combinations were studied, and high efficacies were obtained in all cases. An indigenous strain of
Beauveria bassiana,
found naturally infecting pupae of
R. ferrugineus,
resulted highly virulent against all
developmental stages of the weevil in the laboratory. Additionally, adults of either sex inoculated with
the fungus efficiently transmitted the disease to healthy adults of the opposite sex and this result con-
firmed the potential of
B. bassiana
as a biological control agent against this pest. These results should
help developing an integrated management program against this pest.
Additional Keywords:
biological control, chemical control, host range,
Rhynchophorus ferrugineus
1. Introduction
The invasive redpalmweevil,
Rhynchophorus
ferrugineus
Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculioni-
dae), is one of the most destructive pests of
palms in the world. It is extensively distrib-
uted in Oceania, Asia, Africa and Europe and
it was found in the Caribbean in 2008 (Ar-
uba and Curaçao) and in California in 2010
(EPPO, 2008; EPPO, 2009; EPPO, 2010). At the
present time, this insect has been reported
as a pest of 26 palm species belonging to
16 different genera (Malumphy and Moran,
2009). Since its introduction in the Mediter-
