Properties of Palm Hearts from Three Iranian Date Palm Cultivars Affect Physiological Responses of Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier, 1790) (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae)

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
Fatemeh Khodadai Esfichar 1
Maryam Pahlavan Yali 1
Peyman Namvar Namvar 2
1 Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Islamic Republic of Iran.
2 Plant Protection Research Department, South Kerman Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Jiroft, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Abstract
Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier is a serious insect pest of date palm trees worldwide. In this study, we assessed the energy reserves and antioxidative defense response of R. ferrugineus larvae on palm hearts of three date palm cultivars i.e. Piarom, Mazafati, and Kalute. Furthermore, the specific biochemical and mechanical properties of them were evaluated. The insect was reared in a growth chamber at 29±2°C, 80±5% RH, and a photoperiod of 12:12 (L:D) and the experiments were conducted using the seventh instar larvae. The results revealed that the highest contents of sugar and lipid in R. ferrugineus larvae were on Piarom and Mazafati, respectively. The antioxidant enzymes activities in larvae were significantly different on the tested palm hearts and. Mazafati palm heart had the lowest tissue hardness. Biochemical analysis revealed that the total sugar content was high in Mazafati and Kalute and low in Piarom. The concentrations of phenol and flavonoid were also different in the tested palm hearts. Moreover, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) profiling showed that alkaloids, terpenes, acids, and amides were the major volatile components of the tested palm hearts. Piarom showed traits associated with reduced larval performance, suggesting its potential use in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs.


Keywords
Antioxidant enzymes
Energy reserves
Mechanical traits
Phytochemicals
Red palm weevil
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Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology
Volume 28, Issue 4
July and August 2026
Pages 981-994