Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-n9wrp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-22T03:26:28.087Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

DAMAGE POTENTIAL OF THE SWEETCLOVER WEEVIL, SITONA CYLINDRICOLLIS (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE), IN THE CANADIAN PRAIRIES1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

C. H. Craig
Affiliation:
Research Station, Agriculture Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 0X2

Abstract

Adults of the sweetclover weevil, Sitona cylindricollis Fähr., injure seedling, vegetative, and yearling sweet clover, Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. In field cage tests an infestation of 1 weevil: 7 seedlings at the cotyledon stage destroyed less than 5%, and an infestation of 1 weevil: 1 seedling destroyed 100% of the seedlings. Significant reduction of seedlings was caused by infestations of I weevil: 3 or 5 seedlings depending upon growing conditions. An infestation of 4.5 to 9 weevils per emergent second-year plant caused a significant reduction, and an infestation of 18 weevils per plant caused almost total destruction of second-year forage yield. In the Canadian mid-west, weevil populations seldom exceed these minimum threshold values, therefore the weevil should not be considered a deterrent to either stand establishment or to stand retention in the second year. Defoliation of vegetative clover by weevils at the beginning of and mid-way through the critical period, which extends from 15 August to 20 September, caused a 50% loss of second-year forage yield. Because of cultural practices associated with sweet clover production in western Canada this may be the most severe type of injury wrought by the weevil.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1978

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bird, R. D. 1947. The sweetclover weevil, Sitona cylindricollis Fähr. Can. Ent. 79: 511.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bird, R. D. 1949. Studies in the biology and control of the sweetclover weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Manitoba, 1945–1949. A. Rep. ent. Soc. Ont. 80: 3136.Google Scholar
Doane, J. F. 1961. Movement on the soil surface of adult Ctenicera aeripennis destructor (Brown) and Hypolithus bicolor Esch. (Coleoptera: Elateridae) as indicated by funnel pitfall traps, with notes on the captures of other arthropods. Can. Ent. 93: 636644.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duncan, D. B. 1955. Multiple range and multiple F tests. Biometrics 11: 42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hans, H. and Thorsteinson, A. J.. 1961. The influence of physical factors and host plant odor on the induction and termination of dispersal flights in Sitona cylindricollis Fähr. Entomologia exp. appl. 4: 165177.Google Scholar
Herron, J. C. 1952. Control of sweetclover weevil in Ohio. J. econ. Ent. 45: 316319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martin, J. N. 1934. The relative growth rates and interdependence of tops and roots of the biennial white sweet clover, Melilotus alba Desr. Am. J. Botany 21: 140159.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Munro, J. A., Leraas, M. A., and Nostdahl, W. D.. 1949. Biology and control of the sweetclover weevil. J. econ. Ent. 42: 318321.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, Dale and Graber, L. F.. 1948. The influence of top growth removal on the root and vegetative development of biennial sweet clover. J. Am. Soc. Agron. 40: 818831.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Willard, C. J. 1927. An experimental study of sweet clover. Tech. Bull. Ohio Agric. exp. Stn 405. 84 pp.Google Scholar