摘要
The dubas bug Ommatissus lybicus （Debergevin） （Homoptera： Tropiduchidae） was almost absent in AI-Anbar Province during the past years, however, field survey conducted in different regions of the province during fall of 2007 indicated the presence of heavy infestation by this pest on date palm trees in some orchards toward the east of Hit city. Infestation was highly influencing in term of affected trees and accumulation of honey dew. Scattered infestations were also recorded in some orchards west of Hit city and near the cities of Haditha, Rawa and AI-Kaim near the Syrian border. However, a sharp decline of dubas population was observed during 2008 and subsequent years as a result of the influence of sever winter in 2008 and the continuous occurrence of dust storms which showed a detrimental effect on moving stages of dubas bug. Data showed that nymphs density reached to about 50 individuals/leaflet recorded during the last week of April and early May of 2008 and was reduced to less than 5 nymphs/leaflet by the end of the third week of May of the same year as a result of the indicated climatic factors. Farther samplings conducted in Spring and Fall seasons of 2009 and 2010 indicated that insects were mainly found on offshoots near the ground with a maximum density reached to 12 individuals/tree. Since the spread of the pest occurred in a discontinuous manner with no correlation to infestations in close by provinces indicating that the arrival or transportation of the pest was happened in a way other than the normal distribution, therefore, dubas bug may not persist in date palm orchards in A1- Anbar Province.
