FEEDING BY ACROTOMOPUS ATROPUNCTELLUS AND OVIPOSITION PREFERENCE ON SUGARCANE SHOOTS

PÉREZ1 MARIA L. DEL P., GARCÍA JOSE M.1, ISAS MARCOS G1, SALVATORE ANALIA R.1, ARCE2 OSVALDO, GASTAMINZA1 GERARDO AND TRUMPER EDUARDO V3.

Guayaquil

Taller; XI de Fitopatología & VIII de Entomología de la ISSCT; 2015

ISSCT

Insects called weevil are included in Curculionoidea superfamily and its most diverse family is Curculionidae with many species agricultural and forestry pest. In Argentina, the curculionid pests which affect sugarcane are Acrotomopus atropunctellus (Curculionidae) in Jujuy, Tucumán and Salta provinces, and Naupactus purpureoviolaceus, N. verecundus and N. cinereidorsum in Santa Fe Province. Punctures produced by adults for oviposition and feeding cause different damage symptoms depending on the size of the sugarcane shoot. This study aimed at establishing oviposition and feeding preference of A. atropunctellus under greenhouse conditions. In 2012, adults were collected in commercial sugarcane fields (cultivar LCP 85-384) located in Ranchillos, Tucumán, Argentina (26°59' 5? S, 65°00? 36? W). Shoots were classified as small (5-7 mm), medium (7-9 mm), and large (10-12 mm) in diameter. The experimental unit consisted of a 5 liter pot containing one shoot per diameter type, and forest soil as substrate. To determine feeding preference, each experimental unit was inoculated with one adult. Number of punctures was counted after 5 days. One group contained males and the other females. For oviposition preference, the experimental units were infested with one weevil of each gender. After two weeks the shoots were dissected to count the grubs. The feeding preference results indicated that A. atropunctellus preferred large and medium shoots, irrespective of gender. Females produced 22% more punctures than males, probably on account of their need for energy reserves. A. atropunctellus females preferred laying their eggs on large and medium shoots, as indicated by the number of larvae found.