Effect of Watering Practice on the Infestation Severity of Fig Tree Borer, Trichoferus griseus (Fabricius), Under the Rainfed Agriculture Conditions

      Fig tree borer, Trichoferus griseus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), is one of the very dangerous pests of fig trees at the Egyptian Northwestern coast. The prevailing environmental conditions at this coastal area (low precipitation, rainfed agriculture, soil salinity and hot summer season) support the population buildup of this pest to induce inestimable infestation. The current study aims to quantify the severity of the infestation of fig tree borer under the different soil moisture contents (moist and non-moist sites) and to estimate the influence of fig trees watering practice on the survival of Trichoferus larvae. Significant variation has been detected by comparing the mean infestation incidence between both sites on the monthly and annual levels. Under the annual watering practice, barely fluctuation in the counted numbers of exit holes was recorded through the study period, which, in turn, reflected on the corrected infestation percentages that recorded a noticeable reduction (2.04%) in 2018 year compared with the previous years. Rising moisture content in the internal fig tissues may hinder the colonization capability of Trichoferus larvae. The continuity of annual watering practice could affect Trichoferus infestation, especially when engaged in the integrated program dedicated to combating this pest..