EFFECT OF CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF POMEGRANATE VARIETIES ON THE INFESTATION OF POMEGRANATE FRUIT MOTH

Authors

  • Manar A. Abbas Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Karbala, Karbala, Iraq
  • Hind I. Al-Khazraji Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36103/nqxfjh77

Keywords:

carbohydrate, maturation, phenolics, protein, stages, tannin

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the susceptibility of three local pomegranate varieties (Salimi, Khadrawi, and Shukar) to infestation by the pomegranate fruit worm Ectomyelois ceratoniae during different fruit maturity stages, as well as to identify some chemical characteristics of these varieties and their role in the infestation process. The results revealed variations in infestation percentage among the studied varieties, with Shukar being the most susceptible (50.18% infestation rate) and Salimi the least susceptible (35.47%). Infestation percentage also varied by maturation stage, with ripe fruits showing the highest infestation (72.11%) and unripe fruits the lowest (25.44%). Chemical analysis revealed a positive correlation between infestation percentage and carbohydrate content, while total phenols, tannins, and protein content showed a negative correlation with infestation as the fruits matured.

Received: 11/4/2025

Accepted: 9/7/2025

Published: 31/7/2026

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Published

2026-07-31

Issue

Vol. 57 No. 7 (2026)

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Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Manar A. Abbas , Hind I. Al-Khazraji

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How to Cite

Abbas , M., & Al-Khazraji, H. (2026). EFFECT OF CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF POMEGRANATE VARIETIES ON THE INFESTATION OF POMEGRANATE FRUIT MOTH. IRAQI JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, 57(7), 1921-1934. https://doi.org/10.36103/nqxfjh77