Effect of a Weevil,Rhinocyllus conicus, on Musk Thistle (Carduus thoermeri) Seed Production

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Abstract
Three musk thistle (Carduus thoermeri Weinm.) sites that were infested with a weevil (Rhinocyllus conicus Froel.) and a fourth non-infested site were evaluated for numbers of insects and seeds per seed head. At four successive weekly intervals, seed heads were sampled just after flowering. Initial sampling was in 1978 and was repeated in 1979. Weevil incidence in heads blooming during the first week was 6.7/head in 1978 and 28.0 in 1979. At infested sites, production of fully developed seeds averaged 28% less than at the non-infested site in 1978 and 78% less in 1979. Heads that were in bloom during the fourth sampling week had an infestation rate less than one weevil/head in both years. Fully developed seeds germinated well (96 to 99%) and were not affected by date of bloom. Because many heads bloomed during the third and fourth weeks, a large number of viable seeds were still produced at infested sites.