KEY WOIU>S Cerambycidac, Oberea m:yops, rabbiteye blueberries, Vaccinium ... a pick-your-own blueberry farm located near Six Mile, Pickens County, South.
Cultivar Preference of Oberea myops
in Rabbiteye Blueberries, Vaccinium ashei'
Andrew E. Woolwine2 , Joseph D. Culin and Clyde S. Gorsuch Department of Entomology
114 Long Hall, Box 340365
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina 29634-0365 USA
J. Agric. Entomol. 13(2): 121-127 (April 1996)
ABSTRACT Although Oberea myops Haldeman has been reported as
damaging blueberry plants since the 1920s, no studies have reported on
oviposition preference for commonly planted cultivaTs. The number of
O. myops oviposition stem.girdlings in seven rabbiteye blueberry, Vaccinium ashei Reade, cultivars was recorded in two pick·your·owD blueberry orchards. The total number of potential oviposition sites for each cultivar in each orchard was estimated (TPOS). A strong positive correlation was found between the number of oviposition girdles (OG) per cultivar and the TPOS per cultivar at both study sites. Data from an intensively managed orchard (1992) indicated that 'Climax' had significantly fewer OG than expected (high TPOS; high OG), while 'Centurion' had significantly more OG than expected (low TPOS; high OG). These data suggest that of the seven cultivars examined, O. myops exhibited a degree of non-preference for oviposition in 'Climax' and a preference for oviposition in ·Centurion'. 'Centurion' was the only cultivar examined that does not have 'Ethel' in its lineage. Data gathered from a less intensively managed orchard (l993) did not indicate a non·preference for oviposition girdling by 0. myops in 'Climax'. Data on TPOS from both orchards suggest that the number of POS within a given cultivar will be greater if intensive management practices are followed. This increased number of POS influences the number of OG that occur. KEY WOIU>S Cerambycidac, Oberea m:yops, rabbiteye blueberries, Vaccinium ashei, cu1tivar preference, blueberry stem borer, rhododendron stem borer, azalea stem borer
Oberea myops Haldeman (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) oviposit in a variety of Ericaceae. including Rhododendron spp. [rhododendrons and decidious azaleas]. Kalmia latifolia (L.) [mountain laurel], V=inium ashR.i Reade [rabbiteye blueberry], V. corymbosum L. [highbush blueberry1, V. arboreum Marshall [sparkleberry], Oxydendron arboreum (L.) de Candolle [sourwood], and Leucothoe sp. (Driggers
I Accepted ror publication 24 February L996. 2 Current address: Department of Entomology, 402 Lire Sciences Building, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803-L 710.
121
122
J. Agric. Entomol. Vol. 13, No.2 (1996)
1929, Baker 1972, Lehman 1984, Culin et al. 1993, Woolwine 1994). Native hosts of O. myops are Ericaceae occurring along the Appalacian range (Baker 1972, Culin et a1. 1993). In the western Carolinas, O. myops oviposition occurs from early June through mid-July. Eclosion occurs about 10 d after oviposition (Culin et al. 1993). Larvae bore a short distance into healthy plant tissue during their first season before overwintering. Larval development is completed during the following spring after which the larva exits the plant and pupates in the litter (Driggers 1929, Lehman 1984). Dberea myops was first reported as a pest of blueberries in the 1920s
