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Dryad

Responsiveness of the broad bean weevil Bruchus rufimanus Boh. to different Vicia faba L. genotypes

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Apr 22, 2024 version files 242.98 KB

Abstract

The broad bean weevil Bruchus rufimanus Boh., also called bruchid beetle, is a major pest of Vicia faba L. given that larvae develop inside the seeds causing direct quality losses in agricultural products. Recurrent chemical applications are inappropriate because they represent a serious threat to pollinators in general. In addition, biological control approaches that have been attempted so far showed limited effectiveness, which makes studies of methods to control bruchid populations extremely important. Breeding resistant cultivars is the most adequate approach to achieve efficient levels of pest resistance and promote sustainable agriculture. To explore the mechanisms underlying bruchid resistance, we explored B. rufimanus behavior in different life stages and plant preference in feeding, oviposition and larval survival into adulthood both in greenhouse experiments and in the field. Our greenhouse results showed that females, compared to males, have preferences for flowers from some genotypes over the others although the choices made did not correspond with the laying preference. The egg laying preference of females was significantly affected by cultivars. This attraction could be explained by the number of seeds per pod produced by the genotypes, while in the field flowering time influenced bruchid infestation. Moreover, the survival of the larva into adulthood was greater in certain genotypes over the others. The results of our study lay the groundwork for further analyses to finely dissect V. faba resistance towards bruchids and pave the way for the development of methods to predict potential resistant genotypes in research and breeding programs.