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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Miami, Florida » Subtropical Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #419432
Research Project: Mitigation of Invasive Pest Threats to U.S. Subtropical Agriculture

Location: Subtropical Horticulture Research

Title: Building an IPM program for the invasive Hibiscus Bud Weevil Anthonomus testaceosquamosus Linell

Author
item REVYNTHI, ALEXANDRA - University Of Florida
item HERNANDEZ, YISELL - University Of Florida
item VARGAS, GERMAN - Cornell University
item CANON, MARIA - University Of Florida
item ATAIDE, LIVIA - University Of Florida
item ARAUZ, ISAMAR - University Of Florida
item GREENE, DANIEL - High Point University
item Cloonan, Kevin
item Gill, Micah
item Tabanca, Nurhayat
item Yang, Xiangbing

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/31/2024
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The hibiscus bud weevil (HBW), Anthonomus testaceosquamosus, is currently one of the most important pests of hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.) in South Florida. Native to northeastern Mexico and southern Texas, this pest feeds and oviposits in the flower buds. As a result of the larval feeding, severe bud drop is observed, decreasing the marketability of the crop. A comprehensive study on the biology of this pest showed that at 27 ± 1 oC, it completes its life cycle within two weeks. The development of monitoring strategies used to guide management tactics as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) program for this invasive pest was prioritized. Yellow sticky cards, boll weevil traps and Japanese beetle traps were evaluated together with commercially available congeneric Anthonomus lures. The yellow sticky cards captured significantly more weevils than the other two traps. To mitigate the pest in nurseries, laboratory and greenhouse evaluations of contact and systemic insecticides were evaluated. The contact insecticides diflubenzuron, pyrethrins, spinetoram plus sulfoxaflor, and spirotetramat show the highest efficacy against the HBW. A prophylactic treatment of hibiscus plants using the systemic non-neonicotinoid insecticides chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, and spirotetramat was able to control the HBW infestations. Biological control using entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN), fungi and bacteria was also evaluated. Experiments revealed great potential of the EPN Steinernema carpocapsae, the fungi Beauveria bassiana, Strain GHA and B. bassiana, Strain ANT-03 and the bacterium Chromobacterium subtsugae strain PRAA4-1T. Current efforts are concentrated on the chemical ecology of this pest, aiming to develop a HBW-specific lure. Hibiscus plant volatiles have been collected and future experiments will evaluate the pest’s response to key compounds. We discuss the findings of our research under the prism of IPM.