Katmeh1*, A. N. Basheer2, R. S. Omar1, F. Al-Ghamaz3 and H. Nasrallah3
(1) Horticultural research Division, General Authority of Scientific Agricultural Research, Damascus, Syria, (2) Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, University of Damascus, Syria, (3) General Authority of Scientific Agricultural Research, Damascus, Syria.
*Email address of the corresponding author: [email protected]
This study was carried out during the period 2020-2023, with the aim of preparing maps based on altitude, spread of suitable apple varieties, and the most important pests that affect apple trees in the different regions of the Damascus Countryside Governorate, using geographic information systems (GIS) technique. The maps showed the spread of apple cultivation in the Governorate region whose altitude exceeds 1,000 meters, where seven varieties are grown, the most widespread of which are the Starking Delicious and Golden Delicious, followed by the local variety Sukkari. Maps of potential pests showed the presence of insect and fungal pests in addition to mites. The high pests occurrence is likely because of insufficient control measures applied due to the high prices of pesticides, or to the neglect of apple orchards during the war that Syria has gone through in recent years, as well as climate change, which has an impact on the life cycle of insects and pathogens and their population level. The generated GIS maps for the apple spread in the Damascus Countryside Governorate provided an important database which makes it easy to extrapolate for different uses and it can be regularly updated according to new conditions and data.
Maps, geographic information systems, apples, pest infestation.
https://doi.org/10.22268/AJPP-001438