'IRAQ AND THE PERSIAN GULF' [‎301r] (604/862)

IRRIGATION, AGRICULTURE, AND MINOR INDUSTRY 465
Though it extends south to the latitude of Baghdad, the earlier
harvests south of Kirkuk reduce its incidence. North of Kirkuk the
pest is worst in years of late harvest. The insect arrives by flight and
does not winter in Iraq. Plants are attacked in three phases. The
insects feed on the stems and their larvae, having hatched out on the
ground, attack the stem and then the ear. The attacks on the stem
induce the plant to produce a number of secondary leaves which
weaken the growth of the ear, and the attack on the ear may totally
destroy the grains. Pest control is mainly by removal of infested
plants at an early stage, or by the growing of early varieties which
avoid the pest, or by beating the growing corn with a hand-net, by
which means 75 per cent, of the worms may be caught and a great
part of the crop saved; one man can thus clear an acre in 2 hours.
Barley is far more resistant than wheat, having a thicker husk and
maturing earlier.
Rust, which is a fungus disease, attacks wheat. Its severity depends
upon climatic conditions and the variety of wheat. Rust decreases the
crop and spoils the flavour and colour of what is left. Methods of
control advocated by the Department of Agriculture are proper
rotation of crops and adoption of resistant varieties. Bunt disease is
checked by the cleansing of seeds with copper carbonate.
Aphides, a universal pest of fruit and vegetables and of cotton and
barley, are controlled by the usual method of spraying.
Mice and rats cause considerable damage in northern Iraq, and the
Plant Protection Section instructs cultivators in their destruction by
use of poisoned baits, and by smoking their holes with sulphur.
Ghubar, Tineid moth, and palm beetle are the principal pests
of date-palms, which have, however, considerable resistance to
pests.
Ghubar, or ‘dust’ (syn. toz, trab, maghabba), is caused by red
spiders (Tetryanchus) which in June spin webs over the date-clusters.
The webs collect dust and the blanket of dust prevents the fruit from
ripening. Losses of crop, especially of the finer sorts, may be very
high. The pest is controlled by various sprays, but poison sprays are
dangerous because dates are eaten unwashed.
Hashaf or hamera is caused by Tineid moths which lay eggs in
the date inflorescence. The maggots eat their way out of the fruit
like apple maggots, and it falls to the ground unripe. Great losses
are thus caused. A beetle grub, apparently the larva of Priotyranus
mordax weakens palms by boring into the crown and bases of the
fronds; it is controlled by a wash of lime and nicotine. The pest was
A 5195 nh