Management of pepper weevil, Anthonomus eugenii Cano (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in South Florida

Monday, November 14, 2022

11:06 AM – 11:18 AM PT

Location: Vancouver Convention Centre, Meeting Room 212

Presenting Author(s)

Victoria O. Adeleye

Graduate Research Assistant
University of Florida
Homestead, Florida

Co-Author(s)

DS

Dakshina R. Seal

Scientist
University of Florida
Homestead, Florida
Oscar E. Liburd

Professor of Agricultural Entomology
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Xavier Martini

University of Florida
Quincy, Florida
GM

Geoffrey Meru

University of Florida
Homestead, Florida

Pepper weevil, Anthonomus eugenii Cano (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is one of the harmful insect pests of almost all pepper cultivars in regions where they are grown. High population of the pepper weevil in pepper fields continues to lead to a reduction in pepper fruit production. Different control methods have been assessed including the use of insecticides, manual collection, and elimination of infested fruits, removal of old pepper plants and alternate hosts from pepper fields. But no satisfactory control of pepper weevil is yet to be achieved. Damage is mainly caused by the development of immature stages of the pepper weevil inside pepper fruits which is out of the target of all currently used insecticides. The present study is aimed to monitor the population abundance of pepper weevil and evaluate the effect of non-hosts (cabbage) and insect repellent plants (basil, cilantro, marigold) against pepper weevil and compared with thiamethoxam treated plants and untreated control. Flight activity is bimodal and pepper weevil population abundance is temperature dependent. Marketable yield was higher on the plots intercropped with marigold and thiamethoxam treated plots. Lowest yields were observed on the cabbage and cilantro intercropped plots. There is a need to address challenges faced in intercropped systems so as to minimize competition and maximize yield. The results of these studies are a step further into finding sustainable ways of managing pepper weevil.