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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Southern Insect Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #402539
Research Project: Insect Control and Resistance Management in Corn, Cotton, Sorghum, Soybean, and Sweet Potato, and Alternative Approaches to Tarnished Plant Bug Control in the Southern United States

Location: Southern Insect Management Research

Title: Pea leaf weevil, Sitona lineatus (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), adult feeding preference and larval development on pulse crop varieties in Montana

Author
item KIJU, PRAGYA - Montana State University
item WANNER, KEVIN - Montana State University
item IVIE, MICHAEL - Montana State University
item MCPHEE, KEVIN - Montana State University
item Reddy, Gadi V.P.

Submitted to: Pest Management Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/9/2024
Publication Date: 2/11/2024
Citation: Kiju, P., Wanner, K.W., Ivie, M., Mcphee, K., Reddy, G.V. 2024. Pea leaf weevil, Sitona lineatus (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), adult feeding preference and larval development on pulse crop varieties in Montana. Pest Management Science. 80/1-13. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.7970.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.7970

Interpretive Summary: Pea leaf weevil is an economic pest of pea and faba bean crops. The pea leaf weevil is an invasive pest to North America introduced from its native range in Europe and North Africa. Montana ranked first nationally in acreage planted and production of pulse crops in the USA in 2020, accounting for approximately 45% of total dry pea production. We evaluated the feeding preference of adult pea leaf weevil, and larval development, on ten different varieties of field pea in comparison to faba bean, lentil and chickpea hosts in a two-year field trial. Results from this study provide limited evidence for alternative IPM strategies for field peas based on host plant tolerance or resistance within the range of varieties tested. However, differences in preference and larval development between different pulse crops and varieties, and their developmental stage, suggest that trap crops may be a promising strategy for pea leaf weevil management.

Technical Abstract: Montana accounts for approximately 45% of US dry pea production and the pea leaf weevil (PLW), (Sitona lineatus (L.)), is the most common insect pest in this region. After crop emergence adult PLW feed on the foliage to mature and subsequently mate, and the soil dwelling larvae feed and develop on the nitrogen fixing root nodules. Producers commonly apply prophylactic insecticide treatments to the seed at planting as well as one or two post-emergent insecticide sprays to control PLW damage. Towards developing alternative management strategies based on Integrated Pest Management (IPM), this field study evaluated pulse crops grown in Montana, for adult feeding preference and larval development. Ten different field pea varieties, along with two faba bean, lentil and chickpea varieties, were evaluated during the 2020 and 2021 field seasons at the Montana State University Arthur H. Post Agronomy Farm.