The objective of this work was to study the effect of diameter of the cotton squares in the corporal mass of adults of boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). The assay was carried out under field and laboratory conditions, in Jaboticabal, São Paulo State, Brazil. Six samplings obtained from a random harvesting of ten plants of each cultivar (Coodetec 405 and Fibermax 986). The number and diameter of squares were recorded for each plant. Squares with oviposition orifices were kept individually in a recipient and observed daily until adult emergence. The larger the diameter of the squares, the more corporal mass of boll weevil newly emerged adults in both cultivars.Key words: Insecta, Curculionidae, Anthonomus grandis, Gossypium hirsutum.
RESUMO
EFEITO DO DIÂMETRO DO BOTÃO FLORAL NO DESENVOLVIMENTO DO BICUDO-DO-ALGODOEIROO objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar o efeito do diâmetro dos botões florais de algodoeiro na massa corporal de adultos do bicudo-do-algodoeiro, Anthonomus grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). O experimento foi realizado em condições de campo e laboratório, em Jaboticabal (SP), Brasil. Foram realizadas seis amostragens, coletando-se ao acaso dez plantas nas cultivares Coodetec 405 e Fibermax 986, avaliando-se o número e o diâmetro de botões florais. Os botões florais com orifícios de oviposição foram individualizados em frascos e observados diariamente para a visualização da emergência dos adultos. Botões florais com maiores diâmetros proporcionam maior massa corporal de adultos de A. grandis recém-emergidos nas duas cultivares.Palavras-chave: Insecta, Curculionidae, Anthonomus grandis, Gossypium hirsutum. laboratory, the number of cotton squares and bolls was counted and their diameters were measured. The squares were carefully examined for A. grandis oviposition orifices.Cotton squares with oviposition orifices were kept individually in photographic film containers (3 cm in diameter, 5 cm high), with a hole in the lid (2 cm in diameter) covered by a quadrangular piece of "voiale". These containers were observed daily, and the newly emerged adults (up to 24 hours) were individually weighed in an electronic precision scale.The numbers of squares and their respective diameters in two cotton cultivars were examined with analyses of variance (ANOVA) using Stat program. The numbers of squares were (x + 0.5) 1/2 transformed before statistical analysis, but results are presented as non transformed means. Where significant F values were obtained, means were separated using Tukey test (á = 0.05).For characterization of the relation between the corporal mass of the adults of boll weevil and the respective diameters of cotton squares in the two cultivars, were carried through an analysis of polynomial regression, determining the curves more adjusted and the respective coefficients of determination (R 2 ). The corporal mass of 39 and 37 adults and the respective diameters of the squares in the Coodetec 405 and Fibermax 986, respectively, were measured. The diam...
