Abstract
This chapter highlights the geographical distribution, biology, ecology and economic importance of six major Hemipteran pests of date palm. In addition, 14 species are listed as minor pests, however, some of which are potentially serious and may become major ones. Sucking of date palm sap by hemipterous pests usually results in chlorosis or discoloration of leaves, fruit malformation, yellowing, pre-mature withering and dropping of leaves. Moreover, the copious amount of honeydew secretion by these pests attracts and encourages sooty growth on surfaces of fronds that eventually impairs photosynthesis. The severity of infestation by these pests differs according to the locality, date palm cultivars, environmental conditions and their management practices. In many date palm growing countries, control of hemipteran pests depends largely on the application of synthetic insecticides, which aggravated the situation by killing their natural enemies. Future management strategy for these pests on date palm should rely on finding alternative means of control to replace the existing practice of excessive use of non-selective insecticides. Such alternatives should include pest population monitoring, estimation of economic threshold, use of biological control agents, selected cultural practices and use of resistant cultivars. These components of pest control should be used in a more compatible pattern as an integrated management program.