SUSCEPTIBILITY OF WHEAT CULTIVARS TO POSTHARVEST LOSSES CAUSED BY SITOPHILUS-GRANARIUS (L) (COLEOPTERA, CURCULIONIDAE)

Eleven cultivars of winter wheat were tested in the laboratory for their susceptibility to post-harvest attack by the granary weevil Sitophilus granarius. The number of F1 generation, the duration of development, the course of adult emergence and the weight loss of infected grain were investigated, and indices of susceptibility calculated, for each cultivar. Significant differences in the susceptibility of tested cultivars to the granary weevil were found. According to the values of index of susceptibility (IS), the cv. 'S-d-211' was most resistant (IS = 7.46), followed by 'Vlada' (IS = 8.31) and 'Hana' (IS = 8.51). 'Viginta' was most susceptible (IS = 9.09). There were no significant differences in other cultivars. We found correlation between F1 progeny production (PP) and average annual qualitative parameters of tested cultivars (PP vs. protein content r = -0.79, PP vs. vitreousness r = -0.77, PP vs. gluten content r = -0.61, PP vs. index of technological quality r = -0.42). There were no significant differences in the development time among tested cultivars (range 56-58 days). Grain weight losses were positively correlated with the number of weevils emerging.