Hello Raache:

The date palm mite Oligonychus afrasiaticus (McGregor) (Prostigmata Tetranychidae) is an important spider mite pest of the date palms Phoenix dactylifera L. in most of North Africa and the Middle East. Keep in mind that mites are controlled with acaricides and not with insecticides. The new classes of acaricides with novel modes of action, Spiromesifen, Pyridaben, Propargite, tetradifon, acequinocyl, diafenthiuron, etoxazole, spirodiclofen and bifenazate, in particular, are acaricides that are safe to beneficials insects, have low mammalian toxicity and short environmental persistence offering new opportunities for mite control. They are selective against the predator Stethorus gilvifrons (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae) and green lace wing Chrysoperla carnea that prey on Oligonychus afrasiaticus.

https://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=je.2017.112.121

Technical Report Aprenda a manejar la arañita roja del café Oligonychus yothe...

Regards,

Luis Miguel

with chemical pesticides it is very difficult to go for selectivity of the host. But bio-pesticides are generally host specific and the commercial products are already tested for the specificity before released in the market.

For chemical products, no doubt it can be controlled but indirectly it will effect beneficial fauna as these products are not specie specific.

For bio-pesticide it could be possible that to control specific pest but it take long time to established in that environment.

First you need to know which pest is your target. Study the pest management methods. Choose pest management practices, physical and non-chemical methods. For example, some of the pests of application of pheromones or light traps can be effective. Also crop sanitation is effective in some pests. Congratulations to you for having this sensibility.

1. Plant refuge crop somewhere around the field so at least some natural enemies will survive after insecticide treatment, 2. Let some areas are not sprayed for natural enemies to survived, 3. Choose insecticide having low toxicity to natural enemies, 4. Bio-pesticides that contain natural toxic substance might also toxic to natural enemies, however bio-pesticides in general are much more easier to degrade becoming less toxic substances in the field compare to artificial chemicals.

you can do bioassay

It would be very useful to know which pests you are targeting, so that we can give you some advice on which products to use, or at least what type of products to use.

If your problem is spider mites, release Stethorus gilvifrons (Mulsant) or Stethorus punctillum aka Ladybird beetle/ladybugs.

If your problem is the red palm weevil, you have a worse problem. Saudi Ministry of Ag has a great publication for it: https://cisr.ucr.edu/rpw/how_to_control_%20rpw_%20saudi_%20arabia_brochure.pdf

There pheromone traps will not harm your un-targeted species, but the insecticides likely will, depending upon their attack method.

Against the moths, Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria is a good control.

Mr. Ketut recommended a refuge crop for your beneficial insects. You will want to establish nectaries to serve as alternative food sources for your predatory insects.

If your problem is very bad, insecticides are probably (sadly) your only answer. You will then want to release beneficial insects and to take advantage of the nectaries and habitats you created around your date palms, allowing them to get ahead of the herbivorous insect growth curve.

my problem is ( Oligonychus afrasiaticus) , every year it i lose 30% of yield. i traited it but it appeared again.

Hello Raache:

The date palm mite Oligonychus afrasiaticus (McGregor) (Prostigmata Tetranychidae) is an important spider mite pest of the date palms Phoenix dactylifera L. in most of North Africa and the Middle East. Keep in mind that mites are controlled with acaricides and not with insecticides. The new classes of acaricides with novel modes of action, Spiromesifen, Pyridaben, Propargite, tetradifon, acequinocyl, diafenthiuron, etoxazole, spirodiclofen and bifenazate, in particular, are acaricides that are safe to beneficials insects, have low mammalian toxicity and short environmental persistence offering new opportunities for mite control. They are selective against the predator Stethorus gilvifrons (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae) and green lace wing Chrysoperla carnea that prey on Oligonychus afrasiaticus.

https://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=je.2017.112.121

Technical Report Aprenda a manejar la arañita roja del café Oligonychus yothe...

Regards,

Luis Miguel

Raache Arwa, for your mite problem, have you tried water blasting? It is used effectively in Iran, but perhaps your situation might not allow that much pressure or usage? It is similar to blasting aphids off garden plants in effectivenness and utility. Their webbing and infested sections of the desired plants can be cleaned out to reduce them manually.

Another control with mites is attacking their alternative homes from September through April. They lair in grasses & sorghum so remove those. Replanting things like Coriandrum sativum (Coriander/cilantro), Dendranthema grandiflorum (Chrysanthemum), Rheum rhabarbarum (Rhubarb), dill, onion and garlic will actually help repel those pests while potentially providing additional useful plants.

For chemical control, should I feel forced to go that route, I would select abamectin.

AESA BASED IPM Packages for 90 different crops are already available on the website of NIPHM, Hyderabad. You refer it the try the different techniques as per your needs. http://niphm.gov.in/IPMPackages.html

Increase the plant diversity in your fields. For example, plant cover crops along the rows of your trees as these will become refugia for pollinators and beneficial insects. Construct riparian zones around the field that will serve the same purpose and that unlike the cover crops, which are mowed, will remain in place through the years to provide biological control against O. afrasiaticus.

No. There is no chemical control product that will kill pests and have no impact on beneficial organisms.

There are chemicals that are more selective than others, but even these will kill beneficial organisms.

There are other options. Increasing biotic diversity to attract predators and parasitoids. Mechanical control methods like washing. There is also augmentative release where you rear beneficial organisms and then release them. The caution here is that you need to understand the behavior of the beneficial organism because a few may migrate out of the area even if there seems like plenty of food for them to use at the point of release.

It depends on the pest that infest your crop.However,you can use biological agents ,agricultural practices ,and selective pesticides.