First report of Neck Bending disease on Date Palm in Qatar

It is likely that with date palm, C. paradoxa is an opportunistic pathogen attacking stressed trees (in the case described here, the affected trees were growing on a busy roadside location). C. paradoxa, which also infects oil palm, sugar cane, coconut and pineapple, is a widespread fungus and its pathogenicity to date palm is well-documented especially in areas where drought and salinity are prevailing (Suleman et al., 2001a; Suleman et al., 2001b). The severity of the problem was probably further exacerbated by the secondary invasion by Physiphora demandata (Diptera). Infected trees were found to be infested with P. demandata larvae. This fly is known to favour decomposing organic matter (Saaidi, 1992) and would be attracted to the rotting tissues found on trees infected with C. paradoxa.

Neck bending in date palm has been previously observed in Iraq (Abbas et al., 1992). This is the first reported observation of neck bending disease on date palm in Qatar.