Factors influencing distribution ofDiabrotica spp. in blossoms of cultivatedCucurbita spp.

Abstract

Cultivars representing three species ofCucurbita were examined for blossom preference byDiabrotica spp.C. maxima cultivars were found to be preferred byD. undecimpunctata howardi over those ofC. pepo andC. moschata.D. virgifera virgifera preferredC. maxima and the “Connecticut Field” cultivar ofC. pepo.C. moschata and other cultivars ofC. pepo were not preferred. Cultivars were examined for differences in floral volatile release, blossom cucurbitacin content, and pollen content of male blossoms.C. maxima male blossoms released a larger quantity of volatiles thanC. pepo orC. moschata. Also, onlyC. maxima male blossoms contained cucurbitacins. Cultivars ofC. moschata contained the largest quantities of pollen, but all three species contained relatively large quantities. The data indicate a correspondence ofD. u. howardi distribution in the field with high volatile release rates and high cucurbitacin levels that are found inC. maxima blossoms.D. v. virgifera distribution appears to be somewhat independent of these factors since this species was abundant in blossoms of aC. pepo cultivar as well as cultivars ofC. maxima.