An Action Threshold for Management of the Pepper Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on Bell Peppers

Abstract

Action thresholds for the management of pepper weevil (Anthonomus eugenii Cano) on bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) were compared in three studies in spring and fall 1987. In small plot tests, insecticide applied for weevil control when 5% of bud clusters were damaged resulted in reduced fruit and bud damage, higher yield, and improved net economic returns compared with a threshold of one adult per 100 bud clusters or weekly insecticide applications. The threshold of one adult per 100 bud clusters provided better yields than weekly insecticide applications; however, this threshold was not as sensitive to weevil activity as the damage-based threshold and was not satisfactory when weevil populations were large. When compared in a commercial pepper field, damage-based thresholds of 1 and 5% damaged bud clusters provided marketable yields similar to calendar-based spray programs with a reduction of up to 10 sprays per season under light weevil pressure. Weevil damage in bud clusters was significantly correlated with adult counts; therefore, damage can serve as a practical index of weevil activity.