Sternochetus mangiferae is a monophagous weevil that allegedly causes reduced seed germination, damage to fruit pulp, and premature fruit drop in mangoes. Studies were conducted to assess each of these potential sources of crop loss in Hawaii. Germination rates for infested seeds were equal to those of uninfested controls seeds in a polyembryonic cultivar (‘Common’), whereas germination was significantly reduced for seeds of the monoembryonic cultivar (‘Haden’) compared with uninfested seeds but germination was still > 70%. Seeds artificially damaged by cutting away 25, 50 or 75% of the cotyledon before planting germinated with equal success compared with undamaged control seeds. Pulp feeding in over 5,000 harvested mangoes during 2 years of tests was less than 0.1%. The seed infestation rate was significantly higher in fruit collected off the ground compared with fruit collected off the tree in 38 g [mean weight] and 79 g (early season) fruit but not significantly different in 207 g (mid-season) and 281 g (late season) fruit, suggesting mango seed weevil infestation can increase fruit drop in early season mangoes.
This information was used to help gain approval of an irradiation quarantine treatment for mango seed weevil using less-than-probit-9 efficacy data.
Species 1: Coleoptera Curculionidae Sternochetus mangiferae (mango seed weevil)
Species 2: Coleoptera Curculionidae Cryptorhynchus mangiferae (mango weevil)
Keywords: quarantine pest, Hawaii
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA