A simple and low cost semiochemical based trapping method for themanagement of banana pseudostem weevil, Odoiporuslongicollis Olivier (Coleoptera:Curculionidae).

The banana pseudostem weevil, Odoiporus longicollis Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an important pest which affect the growth of banana and plantain in South East Asia [1]. Adult females of O. longicollis lay eggs in the outermost leaf sheath of banana. Larvae hatched from the eggs bore into the living tissue, producing frass- filled tunnels that weaken the affected parts of the host plant and permit invasion of fungal and bacterial pathogens. Mature larvae pupate in cocoons made from plant fibres close to the exit holes. Now a day, this weevil poses a serious threat to the banana cultivation under garden land and highland of Tamil Nadu. A heavy loss of yield was reported due to this pest. Therefore, an effective management programme for this weevil is essentially required.Aggregation pheromone of banana pseudostem weevil, Odoiporus longicollis in conjunction with host plant extract was used to develop an efficient trapping method to monitor and control the pest. In a field experiment, funnel traps baited with the lure of aggregation pheromone, 2- methyl-4-heptanol in combination with host plant extract attracted significantly more weevils than traps baited with either pheromone or host plant extract alone. Semiochemical based trapping in weevil management has potential either in mass trapping or as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) programme