Influence of Constituents of the Cotton Plant on Feeding, Oviposition, and Development of the Boll Weevil123

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Abstract
When quercetin, rutin, tannin, and gossypol were mixed in artificial adult and larval diets and fed to boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, gossypol at 1.65 and 2.65% dry weight in the adult diet plugs caused a statistically significant increase in feeding, and levels of 1.15–2.15% significantly increased oviposition. Feeding was also increased at all other levels though not significantly beyond the base level of 0.15%. Gossypol, incorporated into larval diets in concentrations of 2.0–3.5%, significantly reduced the weight of emerging weevils, but 3.5% was required before the production of adults was significantly reduced. Quercetin did not significantly reduce feeding or oviposition. At levels of 0.1–0.6%, it increased the weight of emerging weevils, but at all other levels weight was not significantly affected. Tannin and rutin at levels of 0–1.0% did not significantly increase or decrease feeding. Tannin reduced weevil weight significantly at 0.2, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0% levels; rutin at levels of 0.1–1.0% did not influence the weights of adult weevils at eclosion.