Monitoring and control of coffee bean weevil, Araecerus coffeae (Coleoptera: Anthribidae), in southern African citrus orchards.
Grout T. G., Begemann G. J., Stephen P. R.
Author Affiliation: Citrus Research International, PO Box 28, Nelspruit 1200, South Africa.
African Plant Protection 7 : 67-72
Abstract : A. coffeae has recently been recovered from citrus fruit (Citrus sinensis cv. Delta Valencia) in low altitude areas of Swaziland and Mpumalanga province, South Africa. Although this pest is cosmopolitan and therefore not a phytosanitary problem, infested fruit may still be rejected for export due to the presence of live insects. An investigation of alternative host plants showed that the beetles completed their life cycle in fruit from mango (Mangifera indica), marula (Sclerocarya birrea), Natal mahogany (Trichilia emetica), Cape ash (Ekebergia capensis), forest toad tree (Tabernaemontana ventricosa) and in old sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) stems in southern Africa, during 1998 and 1999. The beetles were monitored in citrus orchards using sticky pipe traps containing either a cut orange or caged male A. coffeae. Caged virgin female beetles on yellow sticky traps were not attractive. Contact mortality from various insecticides was assayed by dipping adult beetles in diluted insecticide for 30 seconds. The most effective products tested were cypermethrin, deltamethrin, dichlorvos, profenofos and trichlorfon. Other bioassays were conducted in large cages using baits comprising chopped orange and either methiocarb, tartar emetic, trichlorfon or pyriproxyfen as insecticide. Laboratory and orchard evaluations with the insect growth regulators pyriproxyfen, teflubenzuron and triflumuron gave unsatisfactory results. Trials where chopped oranges on the orchard floor were sprayed with tartar emetic were evaluated using traps. This may be the most suitable treatment for integrated pest management orchards, although it did not provide complete control during the evaluation period.