Cosmopolites sordidus Germer (Banana weevil) | Wandofknowledge
Classification
- Class– Insecta
- Order– Coleoptera
- Family– Curculionidae
- Genus– Cosmopolites
- Species– sordidus
Distribution
It is a native of South East Asia and presently distributed throughout the banana growing countries viz., Australia, Hawaii Island, India, South Africa and Tropical America.
Food plant
It is monophagous insect so feed on banana plant only.
Life history
The female weevil makes hole inside the corm and lays only one egg in each. The process of egg laying is continued for few months and 10-50 eggs are laid by single female. After about 7 days of incubation period egg is hatched into a larva which bores inside the corm and makes a tunnel after few days of feeding. The larva attains full grown stage in 14-42 days and pupates inside the tunnel formed during larval stage. After & days, adult weevil emerges from the pupa and remains in the soil for some time. The weevil feeds on the underground part of the banana plant. In later stage they migrate towards the growing point for oviposition.
Damage
Only one genus of banana i.e., Musa is attacked by this pest. The weevils destroy the corm tissues and attack the seedlings which are destroyed or killed. The corms, tunneled by the weevil, sometimes break, but since the weevils do not attack the roots they (corms) do not topple over.
Prevention and control
(1) Cultural operations are most suitable to reduce the pest population by destroying the sheltering and feeding places of adult weevils.
(2) The pseudostems should be cut close to the ground and infested sucker never to be used for further planting.
(3) The pseudostem from which the bunches have been cut are chopped up and scattered in the plantation, so that they rot quickly.
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