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Influence of Diet Quality and Physiological Condition on Boll Weevil (Anthonomus grandis) Pheromone Production
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ABSTRACT Recent research examining individual male boll weevils has indicated higher rates of pheromone production than were previously reported. However, influences on pheromone production of food type and size have not been examined using these techniques. We examined the influences of square size (5-6 mm versus 8-9 mm diameter) and diet switching (maintained on 6-7 mm diameter squares versus switching from squares to 15-mm diameter bolls) on pheromone production by individual weevils. Weevils were fed squares of the assigned size class for 4 d (square size) or 5 d (switching) before daily pheromone collections were initiated on days 5-7 (square size) or 6-9 (switching). No influence of square size on pheromone production was demonstrated (5-6 mm squares, 52.9 ± 6.6 μg/weevil/day; 8-9 mm squares, 85.5 ± 14.7 μg/weevil/day). However, pheromone production did increase from the 5th day (60.3 ± 10.3 μg/weevil/day) to the 7th day (83.4 ± 8.7 μg/weevil/day). In the second experiment, weevils switched from squares to bolls produced more pheromone (76.2 ± 9.7 μg/weevil/day) than weevils remaining on squares (50.2 ± 4.9 μg/weevil/day). Also, the increase in pheromone production from the 6th to 9th day of adulthood was greater for weevils switched to bolls than for weevils remaining on squares. In both studies, pheromone production was positively associated with the presence of well-developed accessory glands. These results provide a basis for additional studies of the dynamics of boll weevil pheromone production. |
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Document last modified May 20, 2002
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