Planting Date as a Potential Cultural Method for Managing the Rice Water Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Water-Seeded Rice in Southwest Louisiana

Abstract

Two field studies in Louisiana were conducted in 1991 and 1992 to assess the impact of planting date on the damaging effects of rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel, larvae on rice (Oryza sativa L.) yield indicators. The data from both years showed that yields of rice planted before mid-April were not reduced by weevil infestation. Early planted rice did not escape damaging populations of rice water weevils but was able to tolerate such infestations without loss of yield, unlike later-planted rice. Economic analysis of the data showed that planting date has a greater impact on yield than does carbofuran treatment. The findings from our study suggested that early rice seeding offered potential as a cultural control tactic in southwest Louisiana to reduce the damaging effects of rice water weevil.