Abstract
The date palm scale (DPS) Parlatoria blanchardi is a serious pest due to the damage it inflicts on its host tree (Phoenix dactylifera). To develop an effective control against DPS in arid regions, it is essential to know its bio-ecology including population dynamics and climatic factors influencing the duration and timing of life history and also the densities of different phenological stages (crawlers, first and second instars nymphs, adult males, and adult females). Monitoring of biological cycle and population dynamics of the pest were achieved through weekly counts of DPS densities on leaflets sampled at different position of date palm trees in an oasis of Ouargla region (Algerian Sahara Desert). Within this hyper-arid region, DPS established four generations per year, the most important was the spring generation. Two overlapping generations occurred in spring–early summer and two in autumn–early winter; these two pairs of generations were interspersed by two phases of high-mortality rates, the first corresponds to winter cold and the second refers to the extreme heat of summer. Statistical analysis of the effects of the studied climatic conditions (minimum, maximum and mean temperatures, precipitation, humidity, wind, rain days, and climatic indices) on the DPS densities at different phenological stages showed great variability from one stage to another. Among these, adult females were the most affected by climate factors. For the total DPS population, high values of minimum temperatures negatively affected population density, while high maximum temperatures, hygrometry, and De Martonne aridity index showed a positive influence.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abdul-Ahad I, Jassim HK (1983) The life cycle of Parlatoria blanchardii (Targ.) (Diaspididae, Homoptera). Arab J Plant Protect 1:22–24
Abivardi C (2001) Iranian entomology: an introduction. Volume 2. Applied entomology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp 445–1033
Abo-El-Saad M, El-Shafie H (2013) Insect pests of stored dates and their management. In: Siddiq M, Aleid SM, Kader AA (eds) Dates: postharvest science, processing technology and health benefits. Wiley-Blackwell, pp 81–104. doi:10.1002/9781118292419.ch4
Achoura A (2013) Contribution à la connaissance des effets des paramètres écologiques oasiens sur les fluctuations des effectifs chez les populations de la cochenille blanche du palmier dattier Parlatoria blanchardi Targ. 1868, (Homoptera, Diaspididae) dans la région de Biskra. Doctoral dissertation. University of Biskra, Algeria
Al-Deeb MA (2012) Chapter 8 – Date palm insect and mite pests and their management. In: Manickavasagan A, Mohamed Essa M, Sukumar E (eds) Dates: production, processing, food, and medicinal values. CRC Press, pp 113–128. doi:10.1201/b11874-10
Belkhiri D, Mehaoua MS, Biche M (2011) Study of fecundity of Parlatoria blanchardi of the date palm and essay of chemical control in a Palmeraie in Biskra. Acta Horticult ISHS 994:379–383
Ben Chaabane S, Bouain A, Koualdia O, Kreiter P (2008) Impact des caractéristiques chimiques du sol sur la dynamique des populations de la cochenille blanche Parlatoria blanchardi Targ. (Homoptera: Diaspididae) et de ses prédateurs dans le sud tunisien. Rev Reg Arid 22:19–32
Bénassy C (1990) Date palm. In: Rosen D (ed) Armoured scale insects, their biology, natural enemies and control. Vol. 4B. World Crop Pests. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 585–591
Blumberg D (2008) Review: Date palm arthropod pests and their management in Israel. Phytoparasitica 36:411–448. doi:10.1007/BF03020290
Bodenheimer HS (1951) Citrus entomology in the Middle East. Ed. Junk W, The Hague
Bounfour M, Jebbour F, Wadjinny J (2005) Biological traits of invasive insect species harmful to Moroccan agriculture. Proceedings of BCPC Conference (9–11 June 2005). Humbolt University, Germany, pp 95–100
Bradai L, Bissati S, Chenchouni H, Amrani K (2015) Effects of climate on the productivity of desert truffles beneath hyper-arid conditions. Int J Biometeorol. doi:10.1007/s00484-014-0891-8
Chafaa S, Biche M, Chenchouni H, Sellami M, Si Bachir A (2013a) Cycle biologique de Parlatoria oleae (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) inféodée aux oliveraies dans une région aride. Can Entomol 145:398–405. doi:10.4039/tce.2012.107
Chafaa S, Biche M, Chenchouni H, Sellami M, Si Bachir A (2013b) Effet du climat et de l’exposition sur la dynamique des populations de la cochenille violette, Parlatoria oleae Colvée (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), en conditions arides. Ann Soc Entomol Fr 49:291–297. doi:10.1080/00379271.2013.856203
Chao CT, Krueger RR (2007) The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.): overview of biology, uses, and cultivation. HortSci 42:1077–1082
Chenchouni H (2012a) Diversity assessment of vertebrate fauna in a wetland of hot hyperarid lands. Arid Ecosyst 2:253–263. doi:10.1134/S2079096113010022
Chenchouni H (2012b) Diversité floristique d'un lac du Bas-Sahara algérien. Acta Bot Malacitana 37:33–44
De Martonne E (1925) Traité de Géographie Physique: 3 tomes. Paris
Djoudi H (1992) Contribution à l’étude bioécologique de la cochenille blanche du palmier dattier, Parlatoria blanchardi Targ. (Homoptera Diaspididae) dans une palmeraie, dans la région de Sidi-Okba (Biskra). Engineer Dissertation, University of Batna, Algeria
Dong JW, Pan HS, Lu YH, Yang YZ (2013) Nymphal performance correlated with adult preference for flowering host plants in a polyphagous mirid bug, Apolygus lucorum (Heteroptera: Miridae). Arthropod-Plant Interactions 7:83–91. doi:10.1007/s11829-012-9222-3
El-Juhany LI (2010) Degradation of date palm trees and date production in Arab countries: causes and potential rehabilitation. Aust J Basic Appl Sci 4:3998–4010
El-Shafie HAF (2012) Review: list of arthropod pests and their natural enemies identified worldwide on date palm, Phoenix dactylifera L. Agric Biol J N Am 3:516–524. doi:10.5251/abjna.2012.3.12.516.524
Eraki MM (1998) Ecological studies on some scale insects infesting date palm trees. PhD. Thesis, Al-Azhar University, Egypt
Euverte G, Euverte G (1962) Programme d’étude de Parlatoria blanchardi Targ. et ses prédateurs sur la station de Kankossa. Rapport IFAC, France
Farrag ES, Abo-Elyousr KA (2011) Occurrence of some fungal diseases on date palm trees in upper Egypt and its control. Plant Pathol J 10:154–160. doi:10.3923/ppj.2011.154.160
Gharib A (1973) Parlatoria blanchardi Targ. (Homoptera-Diaspididae). Entomol Phytopathol Appl 34:10–17
Guezoul O, Chenchouni H, Sekour M, Ababsa L, Souttou K, Doumandji S (2013) An avifaunal survey of mesic manmade ecosystems “Oases” in algerian hot–hyperarid lands. Saudi J Biol Sci 20:37–43. doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2012.10.001
Huffaker CB, Messenger PS, DeBach P (1971) The natural enemy component in natural control and the theory of biological control. In: Huffaker CB (ed) Biological control. Springer US, pp 16–67. doi:10.1007/978-1-4615-6528-4_2
Idder MA (2011) Lutte biologique en palmeraies algériennes: Cas de cochenille blanche Parlatoria blanchardi, de la pyrale des dattes Ectomyelois ceratoniae et du boufaroua Oligonychus afrasiaticus. Doctoral dissertation, ENSA, Algiers
Idder MA, Doumandji-Mitiche B, Pintureau B (2011) Biological control in Algerian palm groves. Acta Horticult ISHS 994:347–354
Johnson DV (2010) Worldwide dispersal of the date palm from its homeland. Acta Horticult ISHS 882:369–375
Kausrud K, Økland B, Skarpaas O, Grégoire JC, Erbilgin N, Stenseth NC (2012) Population dynamics in changing environments: the case of an eruptive forest pest species. Biol Rev 87:34–51. doi:10.1111/j.1469-185X.2011.00183.x
Kehat M (1967) Some notes on life cycle of date palm scale Parlatoria blanchardi Targ. J Agric Res 17:175–179
Khoualdia O, Rhouma A, Hmidi MS (1993) Contribution to the bio-ecological study of the white scale Parlatoria blanchardi Targ. (Homoptera, Diaspididae) of date palm in Djerid (Southern Tunisia). Ann INRA Tunis 66:89–108
Kvarnemo C, Ahnesjö I (1996) The dynamics of operational sex ratios and competition for mates. Trends Ecol Evol 11:404–408. doi:10.1016/0169-5347(96)10056-2
Latifian M, Zaerae M (2009) The effects of climatic conditions on seasonal population fluctuation of date palm scale Parlatoria blanchardi Targ. (Hem.: Dispididae). Plant Prot J 1:Pe277–Pe286
Laudeho Y, Bénassy C (1969) Contribution à l’étude de l’écologie de Parlatoria blanchardi Targ. en Adrar mauritanien. Fruits 22:273–287
Madkouri M (1976) Parlatoria blanchardi Targ.: Cochenille blanche des Palmacées. In: DRA (ed) Ravageurs et maladies des plantes cultivées au Maroc. Direction de la Recherche Agronomique (DRA), Rabat, pp 168–169
Manickavasagan A, Mohamed Essa M, Sukumar E (eds) (2012) Dates: production, processing, food, and medicinal values. CRC Press
Matallah S, Biche M (2011) Biological behavior of Parlatoria blanchardi Targioni 1892 (Homoptera: Diaspididae) towards three cultivars of date palm tree in the region of Biskra, Algeria. Acta Horticult ISHS 994:389–394
Nadji N (2011) Influence de différents facteurs écologiques sur la dynamique des populations de la Cochenille blanche Parlatoria blanchardi Targ, 1868 (Homoptera, Diaspididae) dans une palmeraie à Biskra. Magister Dissertation, University of Biskra, Algeria
R Development Core Team (2014) R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Available at: www.R-project.org/
Salama HS (1972) On the population density and bionomics of Parlatoria blanchardi (Targ.) and Mycetaspis personatus (Comstock) (Homoptera – Coccoidea). J Appl Entomol 70:403–407. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0418.1972.tb02206.x
Salman AMA, Moussa SFM, Barky MMS (2013) Seasonal activity of the white date palm scale insect, Parlatoria blanchardii (Targioni-Tozzetti) infesting date palm trees at Esna district, Luxor Governorate, Egypt. Nat Sci 11:32–40
Siddiq M, Aleid SM, Kader AA (eds) (2013) Dates: postharvest science, processing technology and health benefits. Wiley-Blackwell. doi:10.1002/9781118292419
Smirnoff WA (1951) Aperçu sur le développement de quelques cochenilles parasites des agrumes au Maroc. Edition du Service de la défense des végétaux, Rabat
Smirnoff WA (1952) La cochenille blanche du palmier dattier dans les oasis du Maroc et le problème de sa répression. Terre Marocaine 273:306–308
Smirnoff WA (1953) Chrysopa vulgaris Schneider, prédateur important de Parlatoria blanchardi Targ. dans les palmeraies d’Afrique du Nord. Bull Soc Entomol Fr 58:146–152
Smirnoff WA (1957) La Cochenille du palmier dattier (Parlatoria blanchardi Targ.) en Afrique du Nord Comportement, importance économique, prédateurs et lutte biologique. Entomophaga 2:101–106. doi:10.1007/2FBF02371117
Swaminathan R, Verma SK (1991) Studies on the incidence of date palm scale, Parlatoria blanchardi (Targ.) in western Rajasthan. Entomon 16:217–221
Talhouk AS (1991) On the management of the date palm and its arthropod enemies in the Arabian Peninsula. J Appl Entomol 111:514–520. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0418.1991.tb00354.x
Watson GW (2002) Arthropods of economic importance: Diaspididae of the world. (Series title: World Biodiversity Database). ETI Information services (Expert Center for Taxonomic Identification), University of Amsterdam: http://nlbif.eti.uva.nl/bis/diaspididae.php. Accessed June 2014
Zaid A, De Wet PF, Djerbi M, Oihabi AC (1999) Diseases and pests of date palm. In: Zaid A (ed) Date Palm Cultivation. FAO Plant Production and Protection Paper, Roma, URL: www.fao.org/docrep/006/y4360e/y4360e0g.htm
Acknowledgments
We thank the field editor and two anonymous referees for their constructive comments.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Idder-Ighili, H., Idder, M.A., Doumandji-Mitiche, B. et al. Modeling the effects of climate on date palm scale (Parlatoria blanchardi) population dynamics during different phenological stages of life history under hot arid conditions. Int J Biometeorol 59, 1425–1436 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-014-0952-z
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-014-0952-z