Oviposition preference and larval development of Rhabdoscelus lineatocollis (Coleoptera:Rhynchophoridae) in sugarcane

Oviposition experiments using sugarcane stems cut into 7 cm lengths were conducted. The results show that the Asiatic palm weevil, Rhabdoscelus lineatocollis oviposits no eggs on the hard and soft sugarcane varieties, F172 and NiF4, at any developmental stage where cracks were absent. Oviposition occurred, however, when the stems were artificially cracked by a knife and 0.45 eggs/female/day was laid in the cracks. When the epidermis was totally removed, about 0.5 eggs/female was laid per day. The survival rates of the larvae in the stem were more than 60% at 28+/-1 degrees C, 90 days after innoculation. Most adult weevils stayed in the narrow space between the stem and the leaf sheath.