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Efficient Sex Pheromone Trapping: Catching The Sweetpotato Weevil, Cylas formicarius

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Abstract

The sweetpotato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Brentidae), is the most serious pest of sweetpotato around the world, damaging sweetpotatoes in the field and in storage, as well as being a quarantine pest. Because the larval period is spent within vines or tubers, and the adults are nocturnal, chemical control frequently is not effective. In addition, there are few natural enemies, and pheromone-based trapping does not appear to reduce the damage level. In the present study, we evaluated a number of parameters that affect pheromone-based trap catch, including trap design, trap size, trap color, and height at which the traps are placed. Pherocon unitraps caught higher numbers than ground, funnel water, or delta traps. Medium-sized traps (13 × 17.5 cm) were more effective than larger or smaller traps. In a color-choice test, C. formicarius preferred red over gray, brown, blue, white, yellow, black, or red traps; light red was more attractive than other shades of red. Maximum catches were obtained when the traps were set 50 cm above the crop canopy. Light-red unitraps with pheromone lures caught more adults than identical traps without lures, suggesting that C. formicarius is influenced by both visual and olfactory cues. Pheromone-baited light-red unitraps, 13 × 17.5 cm, installed 50 cm above the crop canopy, were the most effective at catching C. formicarius adults, and they appear to have the greatest potential for use in trap-and-kill strategies and eradication programs.

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported by FY 2011 Pacific Islands Area Conservation Innovation Grants (PIA-CIG) Program, Grant Agreement No. 69-9251-11-902, The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)-USDA; Western Integrated Pest Management Center (WIPMC) Award # 2007-51120-03885/ University of California, Davis sub-award # 07 -001492-GUAM3, and USDA Hatch funds (Project# GUA0561). In accordance with federal law and USDA policy, this institution is prohibited from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. We also thank R. Gumataotao, G. McNassar, and J. Remolona for help during field work. Part of the work was made possible from two Summer Apprenticeship Programs for Nirupa Gadi and A.J. Taianao at the University of Guam.

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  1. Western Triangle Ag Research Center, Montana State University, 9546 Old Shelby Rd, Conrad, MT, 59425, USA

    G. V. P. Reddy

  2. Western Pacific Tropical Research Center, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Guam, Mangilao, Guam, 96923, USA

    Nirupa Gadi & Anthony J. Taianao

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  1. G. V. P. Reddy
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Correspondence to G. V. P. Reddy.

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Reddy, G.V.P., Gadi, N. & Taianao, A.J. Efficient Sex Pheromone Trapping: Catching The Sweetpotato Weevil, Cylas formicarius . J Chem Ecol 38, 846–853 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-012-0160-4

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