SURVEY OF THE INSECT AND MITE PESTS ASSOCIATED WITH DATE PALM TREES IN AL-DAKHLIYA REGION, SULTANATE OF OMAN

The insect pests and mites associaated with date palm trees in the 8 Wilayat of Al-Dakhliya region, Sultanate of Oman were surveyed throughout the three successive years 1994-1996. Nineteen insect pests belonging to 16 families and 8 orders in addition to 2 mites be­longing to two families from the order Acari were recorded on the differ­ent parts of the palms. Insect pests were Schistocerca gregaria (Forsk.) (Orthoptera: Acrididae); Psammotermes sp. (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae); unidentified thrips species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). 8 Homopteran species includ­ing Platyplura arabica Meyr. (Cicadidae); Ommatissus bionotatus lybicus DeBerg. (Tropiduchide); Pseudaspidoproctus hyphaeniacus (Hall) (Marga­rodidae); Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Pseudococcidae); Aonidieila orientalis (New.). Fiorinia !iodate° Takagi, Pariatoria blachardii (Targ.- Tozz.) (Diaspididae); Phoenicococcus marlatti (Ckll.). (Phoenicococci­dae), 2 Lepidopteran species; Batrachedra amydraula (Meyr.) (Momphi­dae) and Arenipses sabella (Hamps.) (Pyralidae) whereas, 3 Coleoptran species; Jebusea hammerschmidtii Reiche (Cerambycidae), Oryctes age­memnon (Burm.) (Scarabaeidae) and Coccotrypes dactyliporda (F.) (Scolytidae), a Dipteran species, Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel (Tephriti­dae) and 2 Hymenopteran species; Pastes hebroeus F. and Vespa orien­tells L. (Vespidae). Mite pests were Oligonychus afrasiaticus (McGreg.) (Tetranychidae) and Raoiella indica Hirst. (T enuipalpidae). Field observa­tion indicated that the most economically important pests were B.amydraula, 0. lybicus, 0.agamemnon, scale insects in addition to the mite O.afrasiaticus.