Author
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Lapointe, Stephen |
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Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 6/6/2000 Publication Date: 10/30/2000 Citation: Lapointe, S.L. 2000. A particle film deters oviposition by diaprepes abbreviatus (coleoptera: curculionidae). Journal of Economic Entomology. 93(5):1459-1463. Interpretive Summary: Broad-nosed weevils are pests of citrus and ornamentals throughout peninsular Florida. Most notable of these is the so-called Apopka weevil, Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.), named for the site of its first discovery on the mainland U.S. at Apopka, FL, in 1964. Females of this group place their eggs with an adhesive in a single layer in a niche most often fabricated by juxtaposing leaves. The options currently available to citrus growers in Florida for control of root weevils include entomopathogenic nematodes, oil sprays, and adulticides. Recent interest in particle films for control of plant pathogens and insect pests has led to the development of experimental formulations of kaolin, an inert silicate, for foliar applications. A hydrophilic formulation of kaolin was tested in a screenhouse for its effect on the behavior of D. abbreviatus. Feeding by adults on treated foliage was reduced by 75 to 84 percent compared with adults fed untreated foliage. No direct insecticidal activity was detected. Oviposition was completely suppressed on treated foliage. While females oviposited more than 19,000 eggs during 2 trials on untreated foliage, no egg masses were found on foliage treated with the kaolin formulation. These data indicate potential for kaolin as a barrier to oviposition in citrus groves and may prove to be an economically viable and environmentally sound component of an integrated approach to control of D. abbreviatus and related root weevils. Technical Abstract: A hydrophilic formulation of the inert silicate kaolin was tested in a screenhouse for its effect on the behavior of the root weevil Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.), a pest of citrus and ornamental plants in Florida and the Caribbean. Feeding by adults on treated foliage was reduced by 75 to 84 percent compared with adults fed untreated foliage. No insecticidal activi iwas detected. Oviposition was completely suppressed on treated foliage. While females oviposited more than 19,000 eggs during 2 trials on untreated foliage, no egg masses were found on foliage treated with the kaolin formulation. These data indicate potential for kaolin as a barrier to oviposition in citrus groves and may prove to be an economically viable and environmentally sound component of an integrated approach to control of D. abbreviatus and related root weevils. |
