Management of Pepper Weevil (Anthonomus eugenii Cano) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Using Biorational and Conventional Insecticides in South Florida

In five studies, we determined the potential of biorational and conventional agrichemical insecticides for controlling pepper weevil in pepper in small field plots arranged in a randomized complete block design replicated four times. Insecticide treatments were applied alone or in a program. The first study (spring 2019 Mar-Jun) evaluated the efficacy of five conventional insecticides applied alone or in rotation. All conventional insecticides significantly reduced pepper weevil-infested fruit (0-0.40 fruits/treatment) as compared to the untreated control (0.95-2.0)/treatment) but did not differ from the check in the mean marketable yield. In the second (spring 2021 Mar-Jun) and third (spring 2022 Feb-May) studies, proper placement of isocycloseram in four different rotation programs with oxamyl and thiamethoxam provided significant reduction of pepper weevil adults (0-0.2 adults/insecticide treatments, 1.1 adults/control plot) and infested pepper fruit, and an increase in marketable yield. In the fourth (spring 2022 Mar-Jun) and fifth (Dec 2022-Mar 2023) studies using two conventional and two biorational insecticides, <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> strains boteGHA significantly reduced adults and infested fruits and was comparable with thiamethoxam and isocycloseram. Isocycloseram significantly increased marketable yield (34,500 kg/ha). The novel insecticide, isocycloseram, is an effective alternative that can be used in rotation with the already available insecticides for pepper weevil management.