Economic importance and seasonal population trends of grey date scale Parlatoria blanchardi (Targioni Tozzetti, 1892) (Homoptera: Diaspididae) in Jordan Valley

Tawfiq M. Al Antary, Mashhour M. Al-Khawaldeh and Mazen A. Ateyyat

Abstract
Field visits were carried out in two date palm farms in the Jordan valley from April, 1999 to December, 2000. Additionally, random observations were done from 2001 to 2014 to assess economic and pest status, as well as changes in the population of the grey date scale Parlatoria blanchardi (Targioni Tozetti, 1892) (Homoptera: Diaspididae). Diagnostic characters for the grey date scale were provided. Pest status for this scale was mentioned with injury description. The grey date scale was found to be from five main insect pests attacking the date palm tree. Population trend studies on the grey date scale in Ghor Kabid and Baquarah farm in Jordan valley between April, 1999 and December, 2000 were reported. The study showed that there were five close overlapped generations per year in the first farm and four overlapped generations in the 2nd farm. The highest peak of alive crawlers (first nymphal instar) was in mid May, 1999 and in late April, 2000 in the first farm. For alive 2nd nymphal stage and females, the highest peaks occurred in late June, 1999 and in late April and late June, 2000. In Baquarah (the 2nd farm), the highest peak of alive crawlers occurred in mid May, 1999 and in late April, 2000. For alive 2nd nymphal stage and females, the highest peak occurred in early June, 1999 and in late May, 2000.

Keywords
Grey date scale, Date palm, Economic importance, Population trends, Jordan.

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