Weevil Borers in Tropical Fruit Crops: Importance, Biology and Management

Abstract

Weevils are an economically important group of Coleopteran insects of the family Curculionidae. This is the largest insect family in the superfamily Curculionoidea. They may be found almost everywhere and more than 3000 species in near of 500 genera occur in North America. Most of them are plant feeders and others are key pests. These weevils use the snout to feed on plant tissues and notch egg-laying sites on it. Adults drill holes and feed in seeds, fruits and other reproductive parts of the plants. Some of the most notable examples of weevils include Conotrachelus spp. on avocado and guava, Optatus palmaris on anonaceous fruits, Heilipus lauri on avocado, Hypothenemus hampei on coffee berry and others. The presence of some of these species requires establishing measures of restriction when the product is for exportation. Management practices and postharvest treatments are required to ensure that the fruits will be free of larvae. In this chapter the main species of weevils in the most important tropical fruit are included, such as avocado, coffee, guava and anonas fruits. Weevils of economic and quarantine importance are considered.