Red Palm Weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): Global Invasion, Current Management Options, Challenges and Future Prospects

Abstract

The red palm weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) also known as the Asian palm weevil is a key pest of palms (Arecaceae) in diverse agro-ecosystems the world over. During March 2017, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN through its 'Rome Declaration' called for the urgent need to combat RPW by collaborative efforts and commitments at the country, regional and global levels to stop the spread of this devastating pest. There exist gaps and challenges in almost all the components of the current RPW-IPM strategy, particularly with regard to early detection, developing and implementing phytosanitary measures, lack of effective biological control agents in the field and poor farmer participation in the control programmes, which have made RPW control and eradication extremely difficult. This chapter gives an overview of the global invasion, current management options, challenges and future prospects for its effective control.

Omics in the Red Palm Weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): A Bridge to the Pest

“…The weak quarantine procedures for ornamental plant material movement across countries, as well as slowness in classifying the RPW as a global threat, have facilitated its rapid spread [ 19 ]. Due to the movement of infested palms and palm offshoots for the production of dates or landscaping, the weevil has, over the last 30 years, invaded 49 countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean [ 3 ] ( Figure 2 ).…”

“…A sequential sampling plan was developed to accurately assess the status of the pest in coconut and date palms based on infestation reports, with the action threshold, RPW aggregation index, and risk of making the wrong decision all built into the plan [ 31 , 32 ]. The weevil is currently managed through mass trapping of adults, routine inspection of farms for early detection, removal of highly-infested palms, chemical treatments, and quarantine measures to prevent the entry of the weevil into new, uninfested areas [ 3 ]. Mass trapping can remove large numbers of adult weevils, but the efficiency is relatively low [ 33 ], necessitating simultaneous deployment of other methods.…”

“…It was first noticed in the Gulf region in the late 20th century, where it caused severe damage to palm trees; later, it started expanding its range, significantly affecting other regions [ 2 ]. In the past few decades, it has spread to multiple regions, affecting countries in North Africa, the Middle East, some parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and the Mediterranean [ 3 ]. Due to causing significant destruction of palm plantations around the world, the RPW has become a major agricultural problem [ 4 ].…”

Potential of Omics to Control Diseases and Pests in the Coconut Tree

“…Rhynchophorus ferrugineus is a key pest not only for date palm but also for Arecaceae palms in general; in South and Southeast Asia this beetle is a key pest of coconut. In March 2017, The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) called for collaborative efforts at regional and global levels to combat this pest [55]. The search in the coconut genome for orthologs to uniprot Q69QQ6 and Q60CZ8 proteins is a promising beginning to find solutions against this beetle in coconut.…”

Structural and Functional Basis of Red Palm Weevil: Pathogen Interactions Leading Towards Enhanced Crop Production in Date Palms

“…These insects have turned out to be herbivorous crop pests during evolution (by specialized interactions with its host plants) (6,7). The distinct genetic makeup and life cycle of the RPW and its cryptic nature have made it hard to detect and, therefore, di cult to control the pest (8). Food and Agriculture Organization in the United Nations has identi ed RPW as a category-1 quarantine pest in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as it is a threat to the date palm farmers (9) .…”