Efficiency of pheromones and trap types in the capture of the banana weevil cosmopolites sordidus germar in Uganda

Abstract

Pheromone traps (Pitfall-cosmolure+, Pitfaii-RMD-1, Gallon-Cosmolure+ and Galloo-RMD-1) were evaluated for
efficiency in trapping banana weevils Cosmopolites sordidus Germar under field conditions in Uganda. They were
compared with conventional pseudostem traps, adoption of, which has been slow. The Pitfall-cosmolure+ traps caught
18 times the number of weevils as compared to the pseudostem traps that caught a mean of 1.3 weevils per trap per day.
The weevil catches of the other three-pheromone traps were significantly lower than the pitfall-cosmolure+ trap
catches and significantly higher than the pseudostem trap catches but similar among themselves. Both male and
female weevils were equally attracted. The traps attracted weevils mainly from a radius of l 0 metres. Pheromone
trapping appears to have a great potential for integration in other management practices of the banana weevil in
Uganda.