During the survey of palms conducted on March 2, 2020, in the area of Milna, Brač, in a private yard, we discovered the cause of palm decline and drying, the palm weevil (Paysandisia archon). We found a live larva characteristic of the palm weevil (in the later stages of development) in the young trunk of the palm. The palms involved are of the species Chamaerops humilis (dwarf fan palm) and Trachycarpus fortunei (Chinese windmill palm), and almost all palms at that location are infected, which allows us to conclude that the pest has spread significantly. The problem with this pest is that there are no pheromone traps for monitoring flight and detecting early infestations, and the larvae are very difficult to control with conventional protection methods (watering the vegetative tip) because the pest burrows deep into the trunk. Since 2019, a product called REVIVE II, developed by Syngenta, has been registered in Croatia, designed for a specific method of application via injection into the palm trunk. The product is injected directly into the conductive bundles of the palm using an injection needle, allowing the substance to be transported through the upward flow of plant sap to the vegetative tip, providing effective protection against this pest.
Key features of this product:
- One application in the spring effectively protects throughout the entire season.
- The injection application is performed at a height of approximately one meter, so there is no need to work at height.
- The injection process is practically completely closed, and the substance does not come into contact with the external environment, so there is no risk of contact with humans and domestic animals.
- Protection against pests “from within.”
These features make REVIVE II an ideal solution for protecting palms against pests within the trunk (palm weevil and red palm weevil), and the application methodology is much safer for people and domestic animals, without fear of unwanted effects on the environment.