In vitro consumption patterns of pepper weevil, Anthonomus eugenii (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on two commercial pepper cultivars in Florida

The pepper weevil, Anthonomus eugenii Cano (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a major pest of pepper. To analyze the consumption characteristics of pepper weevil as a reference for pest management strategies, the functional response, the intraspecific competition and the preference of A. eugenii were evaluated under laboratory conditions. The results showed that compared to Jalapeno, the pepper cultivar Habanero has a lower susceptibility due to the less consumption, lower searching rate and longer handling time of A. eugenii. Pepper weevils suffered from intraspecific competition when consuming Habanero or Jalapeno. Fruit wall thicknesses, weights and sizes were negatively correlated with the numbers of puncture marks per fruit; so, large-sized, thick-walled and large-mass fruits were less susceptible to A. eugenii. The present study suggests that choosing pepper cultivars and characteristics with low susceptibility to A. eugenii, and utilizing the intraspecific competition between pepper weevils have a potential to control the pest.