MiPalm

Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, commonly known as red palm weevil, has rapidly spread to all areas where there is the more or less widespread presence of Phoenix canariensis, killing thousands of plants. In recent years, there have been considerable efforts to find a method of combating R. ferrugineus effective, inexpensive and environmentally friendly, but unfortunately, at present, we have not yet come to the identification of a solution system.

The emergency can only be controlled by combining the different defense techniques that must be evaluated and applied, from time to time, according to the individual case: visual surveillance, preventive interventions also with any chemicals regularly registered and distributed in a localized way to the foliage or in endotherapy, curative treatments with dendrosurgery associated with chemical treatments or with nematodes, abatement of irrimedially compromised plants, etc.

Among the proposals to try to cope with the phytosanitary emergency, the use of microwaves, already used to control other insects that feed on wood or infest foodstuffs, has attracted particular interest. In this context, the Campania Region, has financed the Pilot Project and through the Rural Development Program 2007-2013, Measure 124, MIPALM project, promoting a specific multidisciplinary research activity and technology transfer, with the involvement of agronomists, physicists, engineers and entomologists, in order to evaluate and eventually optimize the microwave exposures for the disinfestation of P. canariensis affected by the red Punteruolo.

The project was attended by the University of Naples Federico II, the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, the CONFLOMER consortium and the Bielle Microwave Technology company.