Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata (2007) 123, 217-227

Tracy C. Leskey and Starker E. Wright (2007)
Host preference of the plum curculio
Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 123 (3), 217-227
Abstract: We assessed host preference of adult plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), based on the total number of mark-released and wild adults recovered and the total distance moved by mark-released adults in an orchard whose layout was designed to specifically allow foraging plum curculios to choose among host tree species. Host trees included apple, Malus domestica Borkh.; pear, Pyrus communis (L.); peach, Prunus persica (L.) Batsch; apricot, Prunus armeniaca L.; tart cherry, Prunus cerasus L.; sweet cherry, Prunus avium (L.); European plum, Prunus domestica L.; and Japanese plum, Prunus salicina Lindl. (all Rosaceae). We released 2900 marked adults and recovered 17.7%. We used screen traps to provide a measure of the number of adults that arrived at and climbed up particular host trees and found that significantly greater numbers of marked adults and the greatest number of wild adults were recovered from screen traps attached to Japanese plum. We sampled host tree canopies by tapping limbs to provide a measure of the number of adults within a tree canopy at a particular moment. Again, significantly greater numbers of marked and wild adults were recovered from plum species, with no difference between Japanese and European plum cultivars for marked individuals, but with significantly greater numbers of wild individuals recovered from Japanese plum. The preference index (PI) for Japanese plum based on total distances moved by all marked adults recovered on Japanese plum divided by the total distance moved by marked adults recovered on other host trees indicated that Japanese plum was the most highly preferred host, followed by European plum, peach, sweet cherry, tart cherry, apricot, apple, and pear, respectively.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Tracy C. Leskey

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
population dynamics/ epidemiology
general biology - morphology - evolution

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Conotrachelus nenuphar	Cherry (Prunus avium - Prunus cerasus)
	Conotrachelus nenuphar	Peach/nectarine (Prunus persica)
	Conotrachelus nenuphar	Plum/prune (Prunus domestica)
	Conotrachelus nenuphar	Prunus (other fruit tree species)