Common name: Pepper weevil
Scientific name: Anthonomus eugenii
Affects: Capsicum and Solanum
Main season: All year round
Anthonomus eugenii known as the pepper weevil, is a pest that affects pepper crops and other solanaceous plants, although it is particularly significant in chilli crops.
It feeds on solanaceous plants belonging to the genus Capsicum and Solanum, including C. annuum y C. frutescens; It also affects eggplant fruits, Solanum melongena. The presence of such a pest in crops severely damages their yield, since A. eugennii attacks the fruit from the beginning of fruition until the end of the harvest, which can cause anything from premature fruit drop to total loss of the crop.
The pepper weevil is a pest native to Mexico that has spread through Central America, the southern United States and some countries in Europe. Its spread and importance have led the EU to include it in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1702 as a prime concerning pest.
The following map shows the current distribution of A. eugenii currently:
The chilli weevil has four biological stages of development: egg, larva, pupa and adult.
Stages of development of the pepper weevil in peppers: A) larva, B) pupa, and C) adult beetle. Source: Van der Gaag, D. J., & Loomans, A., 2013.
Egg: usually found in flowers, flower buds and fruits. They are generally oval-shaped, with a smooth, leathery and flexible surface, whitish in colour at first and yellowish at the end. A female chilli weevil lays an average of 340 eggs throughout the oviposition period, which hatch after 4 days.
Larva: The larvae are white in colour, with large black spots and brown jaws and legless.They go through three larval stages, which, depending on the temperature, last around 7-8 days.
Larva of Anthonomus eugenii. Source: Capinera, 2002.
Pupa: At the beginning of its pupal process, the larva forms an oval cavity inside the fruit and then begins its transformation, during which its body shortens, widens and acquires a shiny white colour. In the first few days, the eyes are yellowish in colour and darken over time. This stage lasts between 3 and 6 days.
A)Dorsal view of the pupa. Head and face (beak) are also shown ventrally. B) Pupa of Antonomus eugenii. Source: Capinera, 2002.
Adult: At first, adults are light brown in colour, with an oval body about 2 to 3.5 mm long, until they turngrey, reddish brown or almost black. Their main characteristic is a ‘beak’ that is longer than their head and prothorax.
Adult ofAnthonomus eugenii. Source: Torres-Ruíz, 2012; bugguide.net.
The most significant damage is caused by the larvae at the moment of hatching. They begin to feed on the fruit and tender seeds. Both the peduncle and the calyx begin to turn yellowish or reddish in colour until they wither and fall off. Infested fruits may also show deformities and a blackened colour in the seeds.
Adults feed on leaves and flower buds and during oviposition they cause damage again to the flower buds and fruits. The holes caused by oviposition also become entry points for microorganisms that cause internal infections.
1 to 3 traps per hectare should be placed. They must be present in the crop two or three weeks before the insect's flight.
For mass trapping, the number of traps per area should be increased, depending on the situation and homogeneity of the plots. One trap controls an area of 500 to 1,000 m2. This translates into a density of 10 to 20 traps per hectare. A barrier of traps, spaced 10 to 15 metres apart, needs to be placed around the edges of the plots.
In subtropical areas, 5 to 8 generations per year are present, overlapping and making difficult to determine the exact number. In greenhouses, multiple generations can develop. Adults are most commonly found from March to June, but they can appear throughout the year except in December and January.
A warm, dry climate with low humidity can favour the reproduction and development of the pepper weevil.
The presence of host plants such as chillies and peppers can cause the pepper weevil to thrive.
Excessive use of insecticides develops resistance in populations of Anthonomus eugenii.
The transport of infected plants, deforestation, and other changes in agricultural landscapes can favour the emergence of new pests.
It is a combination of two attractants, one for attracting males of Anthonomus eugenii and the other for attracting both males and females of pepper weevils.
The diffusers last for 45 days in the field and are packaged in an aluminium envelope with a label with specifications.
Once removed from the packaging, the diffuser does not need to be activated or opened. It only needs to be placed correctly in the trap.
We recommend ECONEX ANTHONOMUS EUGENII 45 DAYS 1 UNIT to be used in combination with ECONEX YELLOW CHROMATIC 40 X 25 CM.
ECONEX YELLOW CHROMATIC 40 X 25 CM is a chromatic adhesive trap consisting of a light-resistant yellow polyethylene sheet, coated on both sides with a solvent-free contact adhesive, protected by strips of silicone paper to retain insects. It has four holes in the corners to facilitate its installation.
ECONEX ANTHONOMUS EUGENII 45 DAYS 1 UNIT
Diffusers of specific attractants for males and females of Anthonomus eugenii. It consists of two attractants in two diffusers that act together.
Code: UIPHOVA271
OMDF registration number (Spanish Ministry of Agriculture): 007/2024
ECONEX YELLOW CHROMATIC 40 X 25 CM. ENV. 1 UD.
Adhesive chromatic trap consisting of a light-resistant polyethylene sheet, measuring 1,000 cm² (40 x 25 cm), yellow in colour and with a black 2x2 cm grid printed on both sides.
Code: UIPFETA125
OMDF registration number (Spanish Ministry of Agriculture): 029/2023
They should be stored in their original packaging in a cool place, away from food and drink.
To preserve diffusers for long periods of time, it is recommended to keep them in the refrigerator at 4°C or in the freezer at -20°C, in which case they will remain effective for 2 and 4 years respectively.
The ECONEX YELLOW CHROMATIC 40 X 25 CM trap stands out for its ease of use and will remain operational until the attractant is exhausted or the adhesive surface is saturated.
ECONEX ANTHONOMUS EUGENII 45 DAYS 1 UNIT
Corrugated cardboard box containing 400 unidades (20 packs of 20 units)
Box dimensions: 0.24 x 0.32 x 0.22 m (width x length x height)
Box weight: 1.5 kg
Box containing 400 units. (20 packs x 20 units)
ECONEX YELLOW CHROMATIC 40 X 25 CM
Corrugated cardboard box containing 250 units
Box dimensions: 0.29 x 0.42 x 0.21 m (width x length x height)
Box weight: 16 kg.
Number of boxes per pallet: 50
Pallet dimensions: 1.00 x 1.10 x 1.25 m (width x length x height)
Pallet weight: 810 kg
Box containing 250 units.
ECONEX ANTHONOMUS EUGENII 45 DAYS 1 UNIT LEAFLET
Leaflet in PDF format that can be downloaded by clicking on the image.
ECONEX LEARNING CENTER
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