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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Canal Point, Florida » Sugarcane Field Station » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #253525
Title: Sugarcane Genotype Tolerance to Wireworms

Author
item Glaz, Barry
item NEUSSLY, GREGG - University Of Florida
item CHERRY, RON - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Sugar Journal
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/10/2010
Publication Date: 6/18/2010
Citation: Glaz, B.S., Neussly, G., Cherry, R. Sugarcane Genotype Tolerance to Wireworms. Sugar Journal.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Sugarcane (interspecific hybrids of Saccharum spp.) growers in Florida normally apply a soil insecticide at planting to limit wireworm (Melanotus communis Gyllenhall) damage to seed cane (vegetative plantings of stalks). The objective of this study was to measure the tolerance of eight commercial sugarcane cultivars and one promising genotype to severe wireworm pressure at planting. In a greenhouse experiment with five replications, either 0 or 5 wireworms were introduced into flats (61 cm wide x 112 cm long x 17 cm deep) filled with 14 cm of Pahokee muck soil. Seventy-one cm sections from the bottom, middle, and top portions of one stalk from a genotype were planted in each flat. Treatments were planted on 3 Dec. 2009 in a randomized complete block design arranged in split plots with the genotype x wireworm treatment (each flat) as the main plot and stalk section (top, middle, and bottom) as subplot. The experiment was harvested on 22-23 Feb. 2010. Root, stalk, and leaf weights were all reduced (P = 0.01) by wireworms. There were also significant differences among genotypes averaged across both wireworm treatments, but there were no significant genotype x wireworm interactions for root, stalk, or leaf weights. Stalk section and the genotype x wireworm x stalk section interaction affected leaf and stalk weights (P < 0.01). Emergence was measured weekly and it was found that the linear emergence response differed (P < 0.01) for treatments with (27.9% emergence) and without wireworms (23.1% emergence), but there were no significant interactions between genotypes and wireworms. This preliminary analysis suggests that some genotypes may be more tolerant to wireworm damage than others. The analysis of final emergence by stalk sections will help determine whether it is recommended to conduct field studies to confirm this preliminary conclusion.