DEVELOPMENT OF PALM TRUNK INJECTOR FOR CONTROLLING RED PALM WEEVIL

Abstract

The present research aimed essentially to optimize the performance of trunk injection device suitable for controlling red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus Ferrugineus), which represents the most economically important insect pest of date palm trees in Egypt. Field trials were conducted in Sharkia and Ismaillia Governorates to determine some operating parameters influencing the performance of developed device under different factors.The lost insecticide, device productivity torque and energy requirements, recovery percentage or controlling efficiency and operation cost were calculated.  Results indicated that the lowest values of lost insecticide were (0.0, 1.10 and 1.3%) with manual injection method when using boring bar with two nozzles, while the highest value of lost insecticide (9.7%) happened when using boring bar with 5 nozzles and electric drill. The highest device productivity of 7.5 palm/h was when using electric drill at infestation palm having diameter  25cm. Meanwhile, the lowest productivity of 3.0 palm/h was by manual method using fixed boring bar at high palm diameter 40. The torque required to rotate the boring bar inside palm trunk increased with increasing date palm age or diameter and when increasing the pitch from 3 to 6 mm. Maximum value of energy 0.18, 0.22 and 0.25 kW.h /palm was recorded at manual fixed boring bar under all diameters  25, 25-40 and  40 cm respectively., Meanwhile, minimum value 0.10 kW.h /palm was found when using electric drill at  25 cm diameter. The recovery percentage increased when using movable boring bar comparing to electric method by 44.4, 37.4 and 30.1%. The controlling cost was 12.05 LE/palm , while13.75 LE/palm in manual and electric methods respectively, in addition to providing an electricity source.