Resistance/susceptibility of certain date palm cultivars against the fiorinia date scale Fiorinia phoenicis infestation.

The purpose of the investigation was to evaluate the differences in some date palm cultivars to the fiorinia date scale (FDS), Fiorinia phoenicis Balachowsky (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) invasion in the Kom Omboo area of Aswan Governorate in southern Egypt in the years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. We also evaluated the correlation between the essential nutrient contents in date palm leaflets and F. phoenicis populations. The findings demonstrated the year-round presence of F. phoenicis populations on all date palm varieties. These cultivars differed widely in their sensitivity to F. phoenicis. Because of its large pest population, we categorized the Bartamoda date palm cultivar as extremely vulnerable to F. phoenicis infestation. Gendeila and Shamia cultivars were discovered to be susceptible. However, in both years, the Sakkoty and Malakaby cultivars showed a relative resistance. The Balady date palm variety should be promoted in regions where the FDS infestation is prevalent, as this cultivar had the lowest numbers of F. phoenicis in both years. The Bartamoda cultivar showed the highest average numbers of F. phoenicis, population growth rate, quantity ratio, attraction index, crowding density, relative abundance establishment rate, and prevalence index, suggesting that F. phoenicis individuals harbored this cultivar in comparison to other date palm cultivars in both years. In contrast, the Balady cultivar's non-preference index increased noticeably as compared to the other cultivars that were evaluated. Date palm cultivars were significantly affected by F. phoenicis populations, according to principal components analysis, and were divided into three main groups using a heatmap.