Abstract
ABSTRACT Multiple-choice and no-choice tests were conducted at the Florida Department of Agriculture quarantine facility to determine the host specificity of the South American flower bud weevil, Anthonomus tenebrosus Boheman, intended for biological control of the exotic weed tropical soda apple (TSA), Solanum viarum Dunal in Florida, USA. Ninety-one plant species in 21 families were included in multiple-choice feeding and oviposition experiments, including the target weed and the 6 major cultivated Solanaceae: bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), chili pepper (C. frutescens L.), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Plant bouquets with flower-buds of 8 to 10 randomly selected plant species, always including TSA (S. viarum) were exposed to 10–20 A. tenebrosus adults for 1 to 2 weeks. Oviposition and feeding were observed twice a week. No-choice host-specificity tests were also conducted with A. tenebrosus a...
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