Assessment of various food constituents as feeding attractants for canegrubs in a pest control program : SRDC final report BS35S

Abstract

Cellulose acetate filter disks were used to evaluate sugars, amino acids and ascorbic acid as feeding stimulants for canegrubs. Fourteen sugars, 18 amino acids and ascorbic acid were tested with third instars of Antitrogus parvulus Britton and Lepidiota negatoria Blackburn. The sugars D-fructose, D-mannose, D-sucrose, D-trehalose, D-melezitose and D-raffinose stimulated feeding by L. negatoria; sucrose and raffinose stimulants, at 1M concentration for A. parvulus and at 2M concentration for L. negatoria. The amino acids L-cysteine, L-glutamic acid and L-histidine monohydrochloride stimulated feeding by L. negatoria; only L-tyrosine stimulated feeding by A. parvulus. L-ascorbic acid did not stimulate feeding by either species.