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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Sunflower Improvement Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #421721
Research Project: Sunflower Yield, Crop Quality, and Interactions with Biotic and Abiotic Stressors

Location: Sunflower Improvement Research

Title: Spatial patterns of seed weevil damage in grower fields in central South Dakota

Author
item Cluever, Jeffrey
item Tarble, Zachary
item Prasifka, Jarrad

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/10/2024
Publication Date: 1/8/2025
Citation: Cluever, J.D., Tarble, Z.J., Prasifka, J.R. 2025. Spatial patterns of seed weevil damage in grower fields in central South Dakota. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Damage by red sunflower seed weevils, Smicronyx fulvus LeConte, is known to be highest at field edges and decreases moving towards field centers. Previous published data on the spatial pattern of seed weevil damage does not clearly show the distance into fields at which damage equilibrates (= becomes constant even with increasing distance). Data on seed weevil damage were collected for 10 fields in central South Dakota at distances up to 200 m from the field edge. In response to grower reports that harvests from weevil-damaged fields were unmarketable due to low test weights, samples were also evaluated for bulk density. Results may be used to evaluate alternative harvest strategies, suggest changes to insecticide applications, or support the space-limited use of other management techniques (e.g., soil disturbance, use of biological insecticides).