Principal Investigator
Dr. Julien Beuzelin
Department
Entomology and Nematology
Fall 2024
Attractiveness of celery, parsley, cilantro, dill, and carrot to Listronotus sparsus, an emerging pest of apiaceous crops in Florida
Research Focus
This research focuses on understanding the attractiveness of various apiaceous crops—celery, parsley, cilantro, dill, and carrot—to the emerging pest, Listronotus sparsus, in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). In recent years, growers in the region have faced significant challenges due to unexpected infestations by L. sparsus weevils. These pests, previously not recognized as significant threats, have caused extensive damage, affecting crop yield and quality.
Primary Responsibilities
In the laboratory experiments, foliage from each of the five apiaceous crops will be placed into individual Petri dishes. These dishes are then enclosed in a polyester screen cage, and ten L. sparsus adults are released into the cage. One hour after their release, the presence of the adult weevils in each Petri dish will be recorded. This experiment will be conducted ten times, using different sets of plants and weevils to ensure comprehensive data collection.
In the field, crops will be transplanted into designated plots during the fall of 2024. The plots are arranged using a randomized block design with four blocks to account for variability in field conditions. Ten plants from each plot will be collected every two weeks over an eight-week period to assess weevil injury and larval infestation levels.
Linear mixed models will be employed to detect differences in weevil presence (laboratory experiments) and injury and infestation levels (field experiment) among the crops.
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