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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 #192514
Title: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES IN DEVELOPING SUNFLOWER WITH RESISTANCE TO SEED AND STEM INFESTING INSECTS

Author
item Charlet, Laurence
item AIKEN, ROB
item Miller, Jerry
item Seiler, Gerald
item MEYER, RON

Submitted to: Proceedings Sunflower Research Workshop
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/7/2006
Publication Date: 2/7/2006
Citation: Charlet, L.D., Aiken, R.M., Miller, J.F., Seiler, G.J., Meyer, R.F. 2006. Prospects and challenges in developing sunflower with resistance to seed and stem infesting insects. Proceedings 28th Sunflower Research Workshop. http://www.sunflowernsa.com/research/research-workshop/documents/Charlet_StemWeevils_06.pdf

Interpretive Summary: Plant resistance can be a 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 larvae consume the kernel of the sunflower seed. Trials were conducted in the central and northern Plains sunflower production region to screen currently available sunflower accessions, interspecific crosses, and hybrids 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 trials conducted in 2004 revealed promising germplasm for three of the species 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 were again being conducted for all insect pest species in 2005. 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 can be a 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 larvae consume the kernel of the sunflower seed. Trials were conducted in the central and northern Plains sunflower production region to screen currently available sunflower accessions, interspecific crosses, and hybrids 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 trials conducted in 2004 revealed promising germplasm for three of the species 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 were again being conducted for all insect pest species in 2005. The isolation of resistant mechanisms may be the subject of later studies once the resistant germplasm for each insect has been determined.