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Is the correct method being used for the red palm weevil? The discussion about the 'piqueta' on Montevideo's palm trees
🇺🇾 Uruguay

Is the correct method being used for the red palm weevil? The discussion about the 'piqueta' on Montevideo's palm trees

From El País · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Montevideo has removed approximately 1,500 palm trees due to the red palm weevil infestation since 2022.
  • Two companies, Proarbol and Equitec, have differing views on the effectiveness of the "piqueta" endotreatment method used on palm trees.
  • Proarbol argues that the piqueta method uses too little insecticide and advocates for a pressure-injection system that allows for larger doses and multiple insecticides.

Montevideo is grappling with the escalating impact of the red palm weevil, a pest that has led to the removal of around 1,500 palm trees across the city since 2022. The visual evidence of the infestation is stark, with avenues losing their shade, bare trunks standing where lush trees once were, and circular scars on the ground marking where trees have been felled. Recent removals in Parque Rodó and Escuela Brasil highlight the ongoing battle against the pest.

the piqueta system directly should not be classified as endotreatment, as it is an “infusion system”.

— Andrés VernengoThe founder of Proarbol criticizes the common 'piqueta' method for treating palm trees against the red palm weevil.

The debate over the most effective treatment method has divided industry professionals. Two companies, Proarbol and Equitec, hold opposing views on the widely used "piqueta" or fixed cannula endotreatment, a method that injects insecticide directly into the tree trunk. Proarbol founder Andrés Vernengo contends that this method, which typically uses 12 to 14 milliliters of insecticide per application, is not true endotreatment but rather an "infusion system" that delivers an insufficient volume of the chemical.

Vernengo's company, Proarbol, employs a moderate pressure injection system, applying significantly larger doses of 150 to 200 milliliters. He argues this approach allows for better dilution, making the insecticide mixture more akin to the tree's sap for optimal absorption. Furthermore, Proarbol's method accommodates a wider range of insecticides, including up to three different types in a single treatment, whereas the piqueta system is limited to one approved insecticide.

Within the piqueta enter 12 milliliters. It is 36 milliliters because they put three piquetas. We apply between 150 and 200 milliliters.

— Andrés VernengoProarbol's founder contrasts the low volume of insecticide used in the 'piqueta' method with the much larger doses his company applies.

Despite Proarbol's advocacy for its method, Vernengo notes that his company is the least contracted among those working in Montevideo, while the piqueta system remains prevalent. This discrepancy raises questions about whether the correct methods are being employed to combat the red palm weevil effectively and protect Montevideo's iconic palm trees before more are lost to the infestation.

Today we are injecting three different insecticides in a single treatment. In the piqueta system, only one insecticide approved on the market can be used.

— Andrés VernengoProarbol's founder highlights the versatility of his company's treatment method compared to the limitations of the 'piqueta' system.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El País in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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