Biological Constraints in the Establishment and Development of Date Palm Orchards in Iraq

Abd, Noor Taha; Shafeeq, Ahmed Fawzi; Shaker Al-Obeidi, Nawras Amer; Fahad, Mustafa Mohammed

doi:10.58928/ku25.16219

	Biological Constraints in the Establishment and Development of Date Palm Orchards in Iraq
Kirkuk University Journal for Agricultural Sciences (KUJAS)
Volume 16, Issue 2, June 2025, Pages 154-162 PDF (1.15 M)
Document Type: Review Paper
DOI: 10.58928/ku25.16219
Authors
Noor Taha Abd; Ahmed Fawzi Shafeeq; Nawras Amer Shaker Al-Obeidi; Mustafa Mohammed Fahad^*
Center of Desert Studies, University of Anbar, Ramadi, 31001, Iraq
Abstract
Abstract Palm trees are the most important economic resources for Iraq in the past, which occupied advanced positions in the world in the number of palm trees and date production. However, palm groves have suffered a significant decline in their numbers for many reasons such as climate change, drought, urban sprawl, neglect, geopolitical events, wars, and pests that affect palm groves. Studies have proven that biological determinants, which include disease and insect infestation, were among the oldest and most influential factors in the spread of palm groves and the decline in their numbers, which were approximately 30 million palm trees and declined to nearly half in the first quarter of this century. The article discussed the most important and most lethal pests in palm orchards, such as Khiyas palm pollen disease, shoot death, frond spotting, rot of the growing top, dobas, myxa, and dust mites. These pests can lead to the destruction of large numbers of date palms, with infection rates ranging between 30 and 100% when appropriate conditions are provided. Because of its spread. It is concluded that insect pests are the most important biological factors affecting the spread of palm groves, and they cannot be eliminated and the deterioration of palm groves prevented except by developing an integrated control program under the auspices of the relevant state institutions It is concluded that insect pests are the most important biological factors affecting the spread of palm groves, and they cannot be eliminated and the deterioration of palm groves prevented except by developing an integrated control program under the auspices of the relevant state institutions.
Keywords
Date production; urban expansion; palm pests; biotic factors

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