Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides - Online edition

Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides

Banana weevil (109)

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Photo 1. Poor growth of bananas with extensive tunnelling in the corm (see Photos 2&3).

Photo 2. Banana corm cut vertically to show tunnelling by banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus, (from Photo 1).

Photo 3. Banana corm cut transversely to show tunnelling by banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus (from Photo 1).

Summary

  • Worldwide distribution. On banana and Musa species. Grubs burrow into the corms causing rots, small bunches, and weak plants that are easily blown over. Symptoms are like “toppling” which is caused by nematodes.
  • Estimate population with 10 cm thick stem discs, 20 per ha; treat if  >4 weevils per disc at 5 days.
  • Cultural control: plant only weevil-free suckers (slice corms to check for grubs/tunnels); leave land fallow for >3 months before replanting; hot water against nematode (53°C for 20 mins.) will kill grubs; if plants fall, cut the stem so it dries rapidly.
  • Chemical control: chlorpyrifos, fipronil, bifenthrin, imidacloprid. Pheromone available for mass capture. (See notes on chemical restrictions/reviews in Full Fact Sheet.)

Common Name

Banana weevil, banana weevil borer, banana root borer

Scientific Name

Cosmopolites sordidus

Photo 4. Adult banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus.

AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Information from Waterhouse DF, Norris KR (1987) Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar). Biological Control Pacific Prospects. Inkata Press; and CABI (2020) Cosmopolites sordidus (banana weevil). Crop Protection Compendium. (https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/15495); and Woodruff RE (2018) Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar). Featured Creatures, Entomology & Nematology. UF/IFAS, University of Florida. (http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/fruit/borers/banana_root_borer.htm); and from Walker K (2008) Banana weevil borer (Cosmopolites sordidus): PaDIL - http://www.padil.gov.au. Photo 1 Gerald McCormack, Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage. (http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org/). Photos 1-3 Fereti Atumurirava, Pacific Community, Suva, Fiji. Photo 4 Gerald McCormack, Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage. (http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org/).

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

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