Influence of Constituents of the Cotton Plant on Feeding, Oviposition, and Development of the Boll Weevil123

Abstract

When quercetin, rutin, tannin, and gossypol were mixed in artificial adult and larval diets and fed to boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, gossypol at 1.65 and 2.65% dry weight in the adult diet plugs caused a statistically significant increase in feeding, and levels of 1.15–2.15% significantly increased oviposition. Feeding was also increased at all other levels though not significantly beyond the base level of 0.15%. Gossypol, incorporated into larval diets in concentrations of 2.0–3.5%, significantly reduced the weight of emerging weevils, but 3.5% was required before the production of adults was significantly reduced. Quercetin did not significantly reduce feeding or oviposition. At levels of 0.1–0.6%, it increased the weight of emerging weevils, but at all other levels weight was not significantly affected. Tannin and rutin at levels of 0–1.0% did not significantly increase or decrease feeding. Tannin reduced weevil weight significantly at 0.2, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0% levels; rutin at levels of 0.1–1.0% did not influence the weights of adult weevils at eclosion.