(Press-News.org) Contact information: Dr. Gadi V.P. Reddy
gadi.reddy@montana.edu
406-278-7707
Entomological Society of America
Are sweetpotato weevils differentially attracted to certain colors?
Different colors attract sweetpotato weevils, depending on external conditions
The sweetpotato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Fabricius), is the most serious pest of sweetpotato around the world, damaging sweetpotatoes in the field and in storage. Because the larval period is spent within vines or tubers, and the adults are nocturnal, chemical control frequently is not effective.
Mass trapping using synthetic pheromones has suppressed populations of sweetpotato weevil males in several countries, but it has not reduced the damage greatly. However, a new study published in Annals of the Entomological Society of America suggests that the color of the traps may affect their usefulness.
For years Dr. Gadi V.P. Reddy (Montana State University) has been searching for the right formula to control this insect without the use of toxic pesticides. In his most recent study with Nirupa Gadi (University of Guam), the researchers found that green traps were most effective in attracting the weevils in indoor conditions, while red traps were most effective in outdoor field conditions.
"Sweetpotato weevils responded to pheromone baited traps of different colors differently in the field and indoors," said Dr. Reddy. "In the field, sweetpotato weevils preferred red, and particularly light red, over the other colors, but indoors, green traps were favored. We have no explanation for the difference. Further studies focusing on why insect behavior changes from outdoors to indoors will be required to find out."
INFORMATION:
The full study (DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/AN13135), "Are Sweetpotato Weevils (Coleoptera: Brentidae) Differentially Attracted to Certain Colors?" is published in the January 2014 edition of Annals of the Entomological Society of America.
Annals of the Entomological Society of America is published by the Entomological Society of America, the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines. Founded in 1889, ESA today has more than 6,500 members affiliated with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry, and government. Members are researchers, teachers, extension service personnel, administrators, marketing representatives, research technicians, consultants, students, and hobbyists. For more information, visit http://www.entsoc.org.
Are sweetpotato weevils differentially attracted to certain colors?
Different colors attract sweetpotato weevils, depending on external conditions
2014-01-03
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Methane hydrates and global warming
2014-01-03
Methane hydrates and global warming
Dissolution of hydrates off Svalbard caused by natural processes
Methane hydrates are fragile. At the sea floor the ice-like solid fuel composed of water and methane is only stable at high pressure ...
Pine Island Glacier sensitive to climatic variability
2014-01-03
Pine Island Glacier sensitive to climatic variability
A new study published in Science this month suggests the thinning of Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica is much more susceptible to climatic and ocean variability than at first thought. Observations by a ...
Molecule discovered that protects the brain from cannabis intoxication
2014-01-03
Molecule discovered that protects the brain from cannabis intoxication
Two INSERM research teams led by Pier Vincenzo Piazza and Giovanni Marsicano (INSERM Unit 862 "Neurocentre Magendie" in Bordeaux) ...
Animal cells can communicate by reaching out and touching, UCSF team discovers
2014-01-03
Animal cells can communicate by reaching out and touching, UCSF team discovers
Signaling through direct contact not restricted to neurons, as previously thought
In a finding that directly contradicts the standard biological model of animal cell ...
Study explaining parasite gene expression could help fight toxoplasmosis and malaria
2014-01-03
Study explaining parasite gene expression could help fight toxoplasmosis and malaria
INDIANAPOLIS -- A newly identified protein and other proteins it interacts with could become effective targets for new drugs to control the parasite that cause toxoplasmosis, researchers ...
Men's and women's soccer: Physical or technical?
2014-01-03
Men's and women's soccer: Physical or technical?
A comparative study into the performance of men and women players in UEFA Champions League matches suggests that women and men each play soccer 'in their own way'
This news release is available in Spanish. When the ...
Genetically identical bacteria can behave in radically different ways
2014-01-03
Genetically identical bacteria can behave in radically different ways
Uneven distribution of certain mechanisms during cell division creates diversity that can enhance a bacterial population's survival
Although a population of bacteria may be genetically identical, individual ...
Patch outperforms Holter for prolonged heart rhythm tracking
2014-01-03
Patch outperforms Holter for prolonged heart rhythm tracking
Scripps study suggests shift in decades-old practice for detecting irregular heart beats
SAN DIEGO – Research by the Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI) has found that a small adhesive wireless ...
Researchers report technique that enables patient with 'word blindness' to read again
2014-01-03
Researchers report technique that enables patient with 'word blindness' to read again
MAYWOOD, Il. - In the journal Neurology, researchers report a novel technique that enables a patient with "word blindness" to read again.
Word blindness is a rare neurological ...
Odor receptors discovered in lungs
2014-01-03
Odor receptors discovered in lungs
They're just like those in your nose but instead of conjuring up a cup of coffee they might make you cough
Your nose is not the only organ in your body that can sense cigarette smoke wafting through the air. Scientists at Washington ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Being physically active, even just a couple of days a week, may be key to better health
High-fat diet promote breast cancer metastasis in animal models
A router for photons
Nurses and AI collaborate to save lives, reduce hospital stays
Multi-resistance in bacteria predicted by AI model
Tinker Tots: A citizen science project to explore ethical dilemmas in embryo selection
Sensing sickness
Cost to build multifamily housing in California more than twice as high as in Texas
Program takes aim at drinking, unsafe sex, and sexual assault on college campuses
Inability to pay for healthcare reaches record high in U.S.
Science ‘storytelling’ urgently needed amid climate and biodiversity crisis
KAIST Develops Retinal Therapy to Restore Lost Vision
Adipocyte-hepatocyte signaling mechanism uncovered in endoplasmic reticulum stress response
Mammals were adapting from life in the trees to living on the ground before dinosaur-killing asteroid
Low LDL cholesterol levels linked to reduced risk of dementia
Thickening of the eye’s retina associated with greater risk and severity of postoperative delirium in older patients
Almost one in ten people surveyed report having been harmed by the NHS in the last three years
Enhancing light control with complex frequency excitations
New research finds novel drug target for acute myeloid leukemia, bringing hope for cancer patients
New insight into factors associated with a common disease among dogs and humans
Illuminating single atoms for sustainable propylene production
New study finds Rocky Mountain snow contamination
Study examines lactation in critically ill patients
UVA Engineering Dean Jennifer West earns AIMBE’s 2025 Pierre Galletti Award
Doubling down on metasurfaces
New Cedars-Sinai study shows how specialized diet can improve gut disorders
Making moves and hitting the breaks: Owl journeys surprise researchers in western Montana
PKU Scientists simulate the origin and evolution of the North Atlantic Oscillation
ICRAFT breakthrough: Unlocking A20’s dual role in cancer immunotherapy
How VR technology is changing the game for Alzheimer’s disease
[Press-News.org] Are sweetpotato weevils differentially attracted to certain colors?Different colors attract sweetpotato weevils, depending on external conditions