Experimental results on the effectiveness of microwave treatment of phoenix canariensis palm infested by Rhynchophorus ferrugineus

High power microwave applications can be considered an attractive and eco-compatibile solution for contrasting the diffusion of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, one of the major threats to palm in the Mediterranean area. In this work we present the results of a research activity aimed to obtain by palm dielectric heating temperatures that are lethal for the insect without damaging the plant tissues. Laboratory and semi-field tests showed an high effectiveness of the techniques.