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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #319042
Title: Evaluation of host-plant resistance of selected rice genotypes to the rice water weevil (Coleoptera:Curculionidae)

Author
item VYAVHARE, SUHAS - Texas A&M University
item Gealy, David
item WAY, MICHAEL - Texas A&M University
item TABIEN, RODANTE - Texas A&M University
item PEARSON, REBECCA - Texas A&M University

Submitted to: Environmental Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/8/2016
Publication Date: 8/31/2016
Citation: Vyavhare, S.S., Gealy, D.R., Way, M.O., Tabien, R.E., Pearson, R.A. 2016. Evaluation of host-plant resistance of selected rice genotypes to the rice water weevil (Coleoptera:Curculionidae). Environmental Entomology. doi:10.1093/ee/nvw120.

Interpretive Summary: Rice water weevil (RWW) is the insect pest that causes the most economic damage to rice produced in the United States. Insecticides have historically been the primary tool used to manage RWW mainly because of a lack of effective alternatives. A three year field study was conducted to evaluate whether certain rice varieties were able to resist or tolerate RWW better than others. These included three U.S. commercial varieties as well as six high-yielding, weed-suppressive varieties originating from Asia. The numbers of RWW larvae detected in roots were similar among the different rice varieties within the insecticide-treated and within the untreated plots Averaging over all varieties, the insecticide treatment reduced RWW larval density and increased grain yield compared with no insecticide. Although yields were indistinguishable between the treated and untreated plots of the individual varieties, we observed that the average yield loss for Taichung Native 1 in untreated plots, when compared with treated plots, appeared to be very low (less than 1%), suggesting that this variety might contain useful genes that could be incorporated into U.S. varieties to improve resistance to RWW attack.

Technical Abstract: The rice water weevil (RWW), Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel, is the most important economic insect pest of rice in the United States. Currently, management of RWW mainly depends upon the use of insecticides due to the lack of effective alternate management tactics. A three year field study was conducted to evaluate the resistance/tolerance of rice cultivars to RWW. These included the commercially grown cultivars, CL171-AR (PI 653513), CL151(PI 654463), and Cocodrie and the indica sub species cultivars, WC 4644 (PI 312777), Taichung Native 1 (PI 495830), Rondo (PI 615022), 4612 (PI 615039), TeQing (PI 536047), and 4593 (PI 615031). Experiments were established as a split-plot design with cultivars as main plots and insecticide treatment as sub-plots. No significant difference among cultivars was observed in the number of RWW larvae recovered in either treated or untreated plots. Averaging over all cultivars, the insecticide treatment reduced RWW larval density and increased grain yield. Grain yield did not vary significantly between the treated and untreated plots of any cultivar, however average yield loss in untreated plots was numerically greatest for cultivar 4593 (11.02 ± 3.49%) and lowest for Taichung Native 1 (0.76 ± 3.49%), suggesting that Taichung Native 1 might possess an elevated tolerance to RWW, which warrants further investigation. A negative correlation was observed between damage by stem borers (number of whiteheads) and number of RWW larvae, indicating potential interspecific competition between RWW and rice stem borers.