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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Sunflower and Plant Biology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #164882

Title: EVALUATION OF SUNFLOWER FOR RESISTANCE TO STEM AND SEED INSECT PESTS IN NORTH AMERICA

Author
item Charlet, Laurence
item Miller, Jerry
item Seiler, Gerald

Submitted to: Sunflower International Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/20/2004
Publication Date: 8/1/2004
Citation: Charlet, L.D., Miller, J.F., Seiler, G.J. 2004. Evaluation of sunflower for resistance to stem and seed insect pests in North America. Sunflower International Conference Proceedings. 16th International Sunflower Conference, August 29-September 2, 2004, Fargo, ND. Vol. II. p. 861-866.

Interpretive Summary: Plant resistance is a potentially valuable management strategy to reduce damage from insects that are pests of cultivated sunflower. The sunflower stem weevil can cause lodging of the sunflower plant due to larval feeding in the stem. The banded sunflower moth, sunflower moth, and red sunflower seed weevil reduce yields because of larvae consuming the sunflower seeds. Trials were conducted in the central and northern Plains of the U.S. to screen currently available sunflower accessions, interspecific crosses, and lines for those having lower sunflower stem weevil densities in the stalks and for those that offer reduced seed damage from larval feeding by the banded sunflower moth, red sunflower seed weevil, and sunflower moth. Results from nurseries evaluating germplasm in the years 2002 and 2003 have revealed promising germplasm for all the insects studied. After each year of testing, lines, accessions, or interspecific crosses with reduced levels of damage were selected for retesting to confirm their resistance to attack. Trials are again being conducted for all insect pest species in 2004. The isolation of resistant mechanisms may be the subject of later studies once the resistant germplasm for each insect has been determined.

Technical Abstract: Plant resistance is a potentially valuable management strategy to reduce damage from insects that are pests of cultivated sunflower. The sunflower stem weevil can cause lodging of the sunflower plant due to larval feeding in the stem. The banded sunflower moth, sunflower moth, and red sunflower seed weevil reduce yields because of larvae consuming the sunflower seeds. Trials were conducted in the central and northern Plains of the USA to screen currently available sunflower accessions, interspecific crosses, and lines for those having lower sunflower stem weevil densities in the stalks and for those that offer reduced seed damage from larval feeding by the banded sunflower moth, red sunflower seed weevil, and sunflower moth. Results from nurseries evaluating germplasm in the years 2002 and 2003 have revealed promising germplasm for all the insects studied. After each year of testing, lines, accessions, or interspecific crosses with reduced levels of damage have been selected for retesting to confirm their resistance to attack. Trials are again being conducted for all insect pest species in 2004. The isolation of resistant mechanisms may be the subject of later studies once the resistant germplasm for each insect has been determined.