Sampling and development of economic injury levels for Anthonomus rubi Herbst adults

Abstract

Field studies were conducted in northwestern Turkey from 1998-2000 to examine population dynamics of adult strawberry blossom weevils (Anthonomus rubi Herbst), and to establish economic injury levels based on the relationship between densities of overwintered adults and yield losses. Adult weevils were sampled weekly in untreated and insecticide-treated plots using a sweep net. Sweep net catches showed that the abundance of A. rubi adults had two peaks; the first between late-April and early-May, and the second between late-June and mid-July. Linear regression revealed a strong relationship between overwintered and new-generation adult densities. The overwintered-generation adults had generally higher mean population densities than the new-generation. A significant linear decrease was observed in strawberry yields as densities of overwintered-generation adults increased. Percentage yield losses varied between 1.64% and 13.42% among sites. Estimated economic injury levels ranged from 1.00 to 4.00 adults per sweep depending on the management scenario, control cost, control efficacy, and crop value.