Author
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Brown, Mark |
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Submitted to: Journal of Entomological Sciences
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2005 Publication Date: 4/1/2005 Citation: Brown, M.W. 2005. Host utilization and phenology of injury by plum curculio (coleoptera: curculionidae) in west virginia. Journal of Entomological Sciences. J. Entomol. Sci. 40(2): 149-157 (2005). Interpretive Summary: Plum curculio is a major pest of apple and peach throughout the eastern United States and is difficult to control and to survey. To be able to plan effective control and to develop successful survey methods, the primary host of the insect needs to be known. This study was done to determine which of the various host plants are most used in the mid-Atlantic region. The results of the study showed that apricot and plum fruits are more damaged than apple and peach by this pest in West Virginia. These results will be used by researchers in developing survey methods and by growers in planning which control methods to use. Technical Abstract: Host utilization by plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), among 8 species of tree fruit was tested under natural orchard conditions in eastern WV. Cohorts of fruit on apricot, European plum, Japanese plum, peach, sweet cherry, sour cherry, pear and apple were examined periodically from just after fruit set to harvest for the appearance of oviposition injury. Proportion of dropped fruit with plum curculio oviposition was also recorded. Fruit also was harvested and evaluated for the presence of oviposition scars, adult feeding, and internal larvae. Apricot had the highest percentage of injury followed by Japanese plum, European plum, apple, peach, sweet cherry, sour cherry and pear. In plum, there was in increase in the proportion of fruit on the tree with oviposition injury from fruit set to harvest, whereas with the other fruit the proportion of injury on the tree remained relatively constant beyond about a month after fruit set. |
