Monday, December 10, 2001 -
D0241

Life history of the pepper weevil, Anthonomus eugenii Cano

Marco A. Toapanta1, David J. Schuster2, Philip A. Stansly3, and Susan E. Webb1. (1) University of Florida, Entomology and Nematology Department, P.O. Box 110620. Natural Area Drive, Gainesville, FL, (2) University of Florida, Gulf Coast Research & Education Center, 5007 60th Street East, Bradenton, FL, (3) University of Florida, SWFREC, 2686 Hwy 29 N, P.O. Box 111581, Immokalee, FL

The pepper weevil, Anthonomus eugenii Cano, is the major arthropod pest of peppers, especially Capsicum annuum L., in the United States, Mexico, and Central America. Adult weevils can feed and oviposit on buds, flowers, and fruit. Larvae develop and feed inside those plant structures thus reducing crop yields. To enlarge a management program, the developmental biology and life history parameters were determined in the laboratory. Using seven constant temperatures ranging from 15 to 33oC, A. eugenii developed as a poikilothermic organism with three instars observed at all temperatures. A lower developmental threshold of 9.6oC and a degree-day requirement of 256.4 were estimated for egg to adult development. The optimal temperature for population increase appeared to be 30oC, because at that temperature a maximum fecundity of 3.1 eggs per female per day, the shortest development time of 12.9 days, minimal mortality, and the highest life history parameters were obtained. The information collected in this study on the development and life history of A. eugenii will help develop management strategies for the pepper weevil

Species 1: Coleoptera Curculionidae Anthonomus eugenii (pepper weevil)
Keywords: development, life-table

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