The Effect of Wild Boars on Agricultural Crops and Their Control in Salfit Governorate in Palestine

Hazem Sawalha^*(1) Nasreen Tarsha⁽¹⁾ Anan Hussein⁽²⁾ Imad Abu Al-Hassan⁽⁴⁾

(1). Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Arab American University, Palestine.
(2). Department of Physics, of Arts and Sciences, Arab American University, Palestine.
(3). Department of Arabic Language and Media, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Arab American University, Palestine.

(*Corresponding author: Dr. Hazem Sawalha. E-Mail: hazem.sawalha@aauj.edu).

Received: 23/11/2015 Accepted: 14/03/2016

Abstract

The spread of wild boars in Palestine has increased and became a serious problem affecting agriculture sector. The animals has characterized to adapting the environment, which is full of fruit trees and forest. Wild boars have a high birth rate, which enable them to multiply quickly producing large number of offsprings. A study was conducted in Salfit governorate to examine the influence of wild boars on agricultural crops, as these animals have been considered the most serious pest that threatens agriculture in this area. The study includes several areas that represent the most fertile agricultural areas in Salfit governorate. The data was collected from target areas, using questionnaire, and interviews with farmers in those areas. The results indicated that the rates of damages were much greater in olive trees, vegetable crops, and field crops in the villages of Salfit, which approached 46%, 45% and 44%, respectively. Furthermore, the maximum rate of damage in fruit trees, stone fruits and shrubs was in the city of Salfit, which achieved 36%. Studying the prevalence of wild boars throughout the year showed that the highest prevalence was in June, reaching 19.5% and the lowest was in January by 2.4%. The study showed that the most successful and applicable methods of control were the use of poisons and fences, where the percentages of using such methods were 51% and 39.5% for poisons and fences, respectively, while as using traps was much lower than other methods and their use did not exceed 4%.

Key words: Wild Boar, Agricultural crops, Control methods, Palestine, Salfit.

Full paper in Arabic: تأثير الخنازير البرية في المحاصيل الزراعية وطرق مكافحتها في محافظة سلفيت في فلسطين

Molecular Study of Pear Psylla Cacopsylla spp. (Psyllidae: Hemiptera) in Middle and Southern Regions of Syria

Bassam Oudeh*⁽¹⁾ Wajih Kassis ⁽²⁾ and Randa Abu-Tara ⁽³⁾

(1). Mokhtaria Research Station, Agricultural Scientific Research Center at Homs, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR), Homs, Syria.
(2). Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria.
(3). Faculty of Science, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Dr. Bassam Oudeh. E-Mail: B_oudeh@hotmail.com).

Received: 01/02/ 2015 Accepted: 31/07/ 2015

Abstract

Molecular study of pear psylla Cacopsylla spp. (Psylldae: Hemiptera) was carried out in the biotechnology laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Damascus University during the growing season 2013/ 2014. Samples were collected from four governorates located in middle and southern regions of Syria: Homs (Mokhtaria Research Station and Al- Rastan), Hama (Tezeen), Damascus rural (Al-Zabadany) and Al-Sweida (Al-Sweida Research Center). The results showed that genetic differences of pear psylla by using ISSR with 19 primers, only 12 primers were succeeded in amplifying the male ́s DNA of pear psylla. The total number of bands was 70, only 64 bands were polymorphic, the percentage of polymorphism between males was (93.06%), males of pear psylla of Damascus rural and Al-Sweida were the most closer (86.12%), the cluster analysis separated the males of Hama in an independent first group, and the second was separated into two sub clusters, males of Al-Rastan and Mokhtaria Research Station were included in the first sub clusters, males of Damascus rural and Al-Sweida were included in the second. Only 15 primers were succeeded in amplifying the female ́s DNA of pear psylla. The total number of bands were 70, only 61 bands were polymorphic, the percentage of polymorphism between females was (74.49%), females of Al-Rastan and Hama were the most closer (77.22%), the cluster analysis separated the females of Damascus rural in an independent first group, and the second group was separated into two sub clusters, females of Al-Sweida were included in the first sub clusters, and females of other regions were included in the second, as a conclusion, males and females of pear psylla were separated according to geographical distribution and species.

Key words: Pear psylla, Cacopsylla spp., Molecular study, ISSR , Syria

Full paper in Arabic:

دراسة جزيئية لحشرات بسيلا الأجاص (Cacopsylla spp. (Psyllidae: Hemiptera في المنطقتين الوسطى والجنوبية من سورية

Current Status of Powdery Mildews Diseases on Cucurbits in The Northeast of Syria

Omran Youssef⁽¹⁾ Alan Ramo*⁽¹⁾ and Sultan Shekhmus⁽¹⁾

(1). Al Qamishly Agriculture Research Center. General Commission for Scientific Agriculture Research (GCSAR), Al Qamishly, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Dr. Alan Ramo. E-Mail: alanremo123@hotmail.com).

Received: 06/06/ 2015 Accepted: 07/08/ 2015

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the spread of powdery mildews diseases on cucurbits in the northeast of Syria during 2011. This study included 36 fields of cucurbits. The percentage and severity of infection was recorded. The infected samples were transported and tested in the lab. The fungus species were identified. Results showed that the spread of these diseases was 48.2% of the planted fields. The infection percentage and its severity varied from one region to another. The highest infection percentage (91.7%) was recorded in Almalekya region in Zone1-A. The average highest infection percentage was (50%) and the severity (9), recorded in Cucumis sativus L. Next were Al Qamishly region fields in Zone1-B, where the percentage of infected fields was 41.7% with an average highest infection percentage of 15% and a severity of 3. However, the lowest infection percentage was 25% in Rasalayn regions in Zone2. Here, the average highest infection percentage was (10%) and the average highest severity was (4). The plants of cucurbits were found to be infected by two species of fungi: Erysiphe cichoracearum and Sphaerotheca fuliginea. E.cichoracearum was found to infect three plant species (Cucumis sativus L., Citrullus vulgaris L., and Cucumis melo L.) and E.cichoracearum and S. fuliginea were able to infect together three plant species (Cucumis sativus L., Cucurbita pepo L. and Cucurbita maxima Duch.). Results also showed that the presence of the two fungus species on all their plant hosts was only in the conidial phase. The sexual phase was absent and the fruits of Cleistothecium were not found.

Key words: Cucurbitaceae, Powdery mildew, Erysiphe cichoracearum, Sphaerotheca fuliginea, Syria.

Full paper in Arabic: الحالة الراهنة لأمراض البياض الدقيقي على القرعيات في شمال شرقي سورية.