Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T05:54:16.844Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effect of a Weevil, Rhinocyllus conicus, on Musk Thistle (Carduus thoermeri) Seed Production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

Melvin K. McCarty  and
William O. Lamp
Melvin K. McCarty
Affiliation:
U.S. Dep. Agric., Agric. Res. Serv., Lincoln, NE 68583
William O. Lamp
Affiliation:
Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody, Champaign, IL 61820
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Three musk thistle (Carduus thoermeri Weinm.) sites that were infested with a weevil (Rhinocyllus conicus Froel.) and a fourth non-infested site were evaluated for numbers of insects and seeds per seed head. At four successive weekly intervals, seed heads were sampled just after flowering. Initial sampling was in 1978 and was repeated in 1979. Weevil incidence in heads blooming during the first week was 6.7/head in 1978 and 28.0 in 1979. At infested sites, production of fully developed seeds averaged 28% less than at the non-infested site in 1978 and 78% less in 1979. Heads that were in bloom during the fourth sampling week had an infestation rate less than one weevil/head in both years. Fully developed seeds germinated well (96 to 99%) and were not affected by date of bloom. Because many heads bloomed during the third and fourth weeks, a large number of viable seeds were still produced at infested sites.

Keywords

Carduus nutans L.seed production
Type
Research Article
Information
Weed Science , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , March 1982 , pp. 136 - 140
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

1. Dunn, P. H. 1976. Distribution of Carduus nutans, C. acanthoides, C. pycnocephalus, and C. crispus in the United States. Weed Sci. 24:518–524.Google Scholar
2. Harris, P. and Zwölfer, H. 1971. Biological control of weeds in Canada, 1959-1968. Carduus acanthoides L., welted thistle, and C. nutans L., nodding thistle (Compositae) Pages 76–79, in Biological Control Programmes Against Insects and Weeds in Canada 1959-1968. Technical Communication No. 4. Commonwealth Inst. Biol. Control. Lambert Gilbert Printers Ltd., Reading, England.Google Scholar
3. Hodgson, J. M. and Rees, N. E. 1976. Dispersal of Rhinocyllus conicus for biocontrol of musk thistle. Weed Sci. 24:59–62.Google Scholar
4. Kok, L. T. and Surles, W. W. 1975. Successful biocontrol of musk thistle by an introduced weevil, Rhinocyllus conicus . Environ. Entomol. 4:1025–1027.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5. Lacefield, G. D. and Gray, E. 1970. The life cycle of nodding thistle (Carduus nutans L.) in Kentucky. Proc. North Cent. Weed Control Conf. 25:105–107.Google Scholar
6. McCarty, M. K. 1964. New and problem weeds. Musk thistle. Proc. North Cent. Weed Control Conf. 20:62–63.Google Scholar
7. McCarty, M. K. and Hatting, J. L. 1975. Effects of herbicides or mowing on musk thistle seed production. Weed Res. 15:363–368.Google Scholar
8. McCarty, M. K. and Scrifres, C. J. 1969. Life cycle studies with musk thistle. Nebr. Agric. Exp. Stn. Res. Bull. No. 230. 15 pp.Google Scholar
9. McCarty, M. K., Scifres, C. J., Smith, A. L., and Horst, G. L. 1969. Germination and early seedling development of musk and plumeless thistle. Nebr. Agric. Exp. Stn. Bull. No. 229. 28 pp.Google Scholar
10. Puttler, Benjamin, Long, S. H. and Peters, E. J. 1978. Establishment in Missouri of Rhinocyllus conicus for the biological control of musk thistle (Carduus nutans . Weed Sci. 26:188–190.Google Scholar
11. Rees, N. E. 1977. Impact of Rhinocyllus conicus on thistles in Southwestern Montana. Environ. Entomol. 6:839–842.Google Scholar
12. Surles, W. W. and Kok, L. T. 1977. Ovipositional preference and synchronization of Rhinocyllus conicus with Carduus nutans and C. acanthoides . Environ. Entomol. 6:222–224.Google Scholar
13. Surles, W. W. and Kok, L. T. 1978. Carduus thistle seed destruction by Rhinocyllus conicus . Weed Sci. 26:264–269.Google Scholar
14. Zwölfer, H. 1967. The host-range, distribution and life-history of Rhinocyllus conicus Froel. Commonwealth Inst. Biol. Control Prog. Rep. No. XVIII. 21 pp.Google Scholar