Abstract

One type of chemical management utilized via injection to manage insect pests infesting trees, such as date palm pests, is systemic insecticides. However, depending on how much poison is required to penetrate the tree's tissue and reach the intended insect, the control's effectiveness could not be sufficient. Additionally, the suggested dosage varies based on the tree's size. As a result, a formula that can be used to determine the quantity of pesticide required for each tree depending on the palm tree's length and diameter (size) is provided below. The following were components of the formula: Am is the quantity of pesticide required, F is a constant, V is the size of the trunk, and Q is the recommended dose by the manufacturer. The formula was evaluated theoretically to calculate the quantity of pesticide required for each palm tree depending on the trunk's length and diameter. It was then tested in the field to evaluate the efficacy of the pesticide dose determined using the method. The dubas bug Ommatissus lybicus and palm borers of the species Oryctes were treated with three distinct systemic insecticides: Tiam, Tiamethoxam 25%, Radical, Imidacloprid 20%, and Mospilan, Acetameprid 20%. The findings showed that as trunk length and diameter grow, more insecticide is required to manage the two insect pests. Consequently, 1.50 g, 1.98 ml, and 2.49 g of pesticides were determined to be required to suppress the bores in trees with a trunk length of 3 m and a diameter of 0.50 m for Tiam, Radical, and Mospilan, respectively. In trees with a height of 9 m and a diameter of 0.5 m, the doses of the three pesticides were raised to 4.49 g, 5.69 ml, and 7.48 g, respectively. In terms of field applications, the efficacy of the estimated dosages for each insecticide on borers of the genus Oryctes was comparable, but it varied depending on the insecticide and targeted pest, reaching 97.77% for Mospilan in trees with a trunk length of 9 m and a diameter of 5.0 m. Regarding the Dubas insect, O. lybicus bug, Mospilan also had the greatest death rate of 92.00% on trees with a diameter of 0.5 m and a trunk length of 9 m. The results of this study showed that the proposed equation is highly reliable and is suitable for estimating the appropriate dose of systemic pesticide to be injected into palm trees based on measurements of trunk lengths and diameters (i.e., their size). They can also be used as integrated management strategies to address other palm pests, including matches, red palm weevils, palm dubas, and scale insects. The proposed formula represents an innovative, environmentally friendly approach to palm pest control in a safe and sustainable manner.