Environmental Entomology (2008) 37, 1381-1388

Abbas Arbab, Dimitris C. Kontodimas and Mark R. McNeill (2008)
Modeling embryo development of Sitona discoideus Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) under constant temperature
Environmental Entomology 37 (6), 1381-1388
Abstract: The alfalfa root weevil, Sitona discoideus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is an important pest of alfalfa. The developmental rates of the embryo development were recorded at eight constant temperatures ranging from 8.5 to 30°C. Using 10 models (1 linear and 9 nonlinear), we evaluated the relationship between constant temperature and developmental rate. Embryo development was shortest (8.5 d) and longest (69 d), at 28 and 8.5°C, respectively. The threshold temperature (T₀) and the thermal constant (K) were estimated using linear regression to be 4.7°C and 207.7 DD, respectively. The two most efficient nonlinear models, the Lactin and the Sharp and DeMichele, gave estimates of T_min and T_max of 4.4 and 3.9 and 30.0 and 30.9°C, respectively. This information has potential application in predicting the suitability and optimal time of release of an egg parasitoid of S. discoideus.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Dimitris C. Kontodimas, Abbas Arbab, Mark R. McNeill

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
environment - cropping system/rotation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Sitona discoideus	Alfalfa/lucerne (Medicago sativa)