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Preface

Dust spider (oligony chus afrasiaticus is considered as one of the old pests which affect date palm trees in UAE, its spread was limited, however the number has distinctly increased recently and caused great damages date palm tree in 1997- 1998 where the volume of infection was huge in some farms of Eastern Cost.

Description

Dust spider is small insect about 04 m.m (female) and 03m.m (male). Its colour is yellow and slightly greenish. The female lays single eggs on fronds and fruits. It has many generations in the year, which effect the fronds all round the year and breeds intensively on fruits during fruit setting and sucks plenty of juice which lead to change the colour of the fruit and the appearance of deformations and spots. The inner tissues lose much of flavour and taste and consequently becomes unfit for eating or marketing.

Methods of Spreading

Infection usually increases on date palm trees in the roads cultivated for ornamental purposes and as wind breakers. These trees retains the pests and dust spider multiplies and carried by wind to other trees and by sticking in the birds and insects.

Infection Period

Dust spider (oilgonychus afrasiticus) infects the frond, branches and leaves of date palm trees especially in May and June which is the critical period of infection as it will be intensive on the fruits.

Combating

The fronds,leaves and branches of the date palm tree should be examined well before fruit setting and it is necessary to the pest before fruit setting. Spraying should be carried out carefully because the spider threads are not wet table and the pesticide should contain spraying and sticky material. spray should be repeated after two weeks.

Combating Method

The results obtained by spraying with micronic sulfur were encouraged in combating dust spider besides being natural material that has no side effects on man and Environment.

Micronic sulfur is available in two forms:

1. Powder should be sprayed out early morning where the particles of sulfur can be mixed with dew on spider threads and micronic sulfur can be mixed with water by 2-3 gm.
2. Liquid with average of 1.5 – 2%.

It is characterized with small granuals may reach to 07 Micron. Using any of spiders pesticides such as : Acarbed – serbion(Fo) 50-75 nl/1000 litre.