U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research: Ames, IA
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    Careers


        


                    Database Projects
                        MaizeGDB
                                    SoyBase
                                    PeanutBase
                                    Legume Information System
                                    Maize Newsletter
                                    Maize Mutant Phenotypes
                                    Maize Genetics Conference
                                    Shiny Soybase CNV
                                    Shiny Soybase SNP
                                    Common Bean and Alfalfa - PvGEA
                                    Common Bean and Alfalfa - AGEDSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Midwest Area Ames, Iowa Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            Sappington, Thomasitem
                                            ARNOLD, MARK - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITYitem
                                            Brashears, Alanitem
                                            PARAJULEE, MEGHA - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITYitem
                                            CARROLL, STANLEY - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITYitem
                                            KNUTSON, ALLEN - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITYitem
                                            NORMAN, JR., JOHN - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
  Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
                                    Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 10/3/2005
                                    Publication  Date: 2/1/2006
                                    Citation: Sappington, T.W., Arnold, M.D., Brashears, A.D., Parajulee, M.N., Carroll, S.C., Knutson, A.E., Norman, Jr., J.W. 2006. Dispersal of boll weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from cotton modules before ginning. Journal of Economic Entomology. 99:67-75.Interpretive Summary: The boll weevil is a major pest of cotton, and great efforts are underway to eradicate it from the U.S.  There is concern that weevils may fly from the surface of modules of cotton harvested in areas that are still heavily infested during or after transport to cotton gins in neighboring eradication zones.  We found that boll weevils disperse rapidly from the surface of the module, as long as it is warm enough to fly, and as long as they are not trapped under the tarp that farmers use to cover the top of modules.  All weevils trapped under the tarp on very hot days were dead by 24 hours, and most (but not all) died in very cold weather.  The biggest threat of reintroduction of boll weevils to eradication zones will occur when an infested module is harvested and transported in cold weather followed by warm weather at the gin yard while the module awaits its turn to be processed, or when it is immediately transported on days of mild temperatures.  These findings will be used by state departments of agriculture and regulatory agencies to design appropriate measures minimizing the risk of boll weevil reintroductions during and after module transport.
                                Technical Abstract: We conducted experiments to characterize boll weevil dispersal from the surfaces of cotton modules during and after transport to the gin yard.  Mark-release-recapture experiments indicated that most weevils disperse rapidly from the module surface, temperature permitting, unless confined under a module tarp.  Most marked weevils died under the tarp when temperatures were high, but some were unaccounted for and may have escaped lethal temperatures by burrowing into the loose cotton on top of the module.  Nevertheless, a low percentage of live weevils were recovered after 24 h on both the side and the top surfaces of modules, representing potential dispersants.  Mortality of boll weevils caged on the top surface of a module was very high after 1-4 d when maximum air temperatures were > 31 degrees C, or when minimum temperatures were < 7 degrees C, but a few survived even after experiencing a minimum daily temperature of -12 degrees C.  Under hot and cold weather conditions, survival was higher under the tarp than on the open surface of the module, but mortality was 100% in both locations on very hot days.  Our results indicate that although the threat to an eradication zone posed by boll weevil dispersal from an infested module is quite low under most environmental conditions, it is likely greatest when:  1) the module is constructed and transported at temperatures too cool for weevil flight, followed by a change to warm sunny conditions at the gin yard, which would promote dispersal as the module awaits processing; or 2) when such a module is immediately transported during mild weather.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov