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Oviposition and Larval Survival of the Clover Head Weevil on Crimson Clover 1
Author(s) -
Smith C. M.,
Knight W. E.,
Frazier J. L.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1977.0011183x001700010042x
Subject(s) - biology , weevil , cultivar , larva , agronomy , pest analysis , germplasm , horticulture , curculionidae , calyx , botany
Seed damage caused by the clover head weevil ( Hypera meles F.) on crimson clover ( Trifolium incarnatum L.) limits the utilization of this forage species. In laboratory studies weevil oviposition was greater in the second basal internode of clover stems than in any other internode. Of eight crimson clover inbred lines and five cultivars tested in the field for larval seed feeding damage, one inbred line showed decreased larval survival and decreased seed damage. An estimate of actual seed damage was obtained from five seed head samples harvested from each of 40 plants. Numbers of seeds damaged by larval calyx boring were positively correlated (P<0.05) with seed damage estimates based on numbers of pupae per seed head for the cultivars ‘Chief’ (r=0.65) and ‘Tibbee’ (r=0.61), but estimates were attained in approximately onesixth the time required to visually count bored seed. Estimating seed damage in this manner will greatly increase the amount of germplasm which can be evaluated for weevil resistance.