Biological studies on Ceutorhynchus portulacae, a potential natural enemy of the purslane weed Portulaca oleracea

Abstract

Ceutorhynchus portulacae (Coleoptera Curculionidae) is identified as a potential natural enemy of Portulaca oleracea, which is a serious crop weed in many countries of the world. Detailed biological studies on its life cycle, fecundity, longevity and mortality factors revealed that the weevil possess positive attributes of successful biological control agents like short life cycle, prolonged longevity, high fecundity, small size, high rate of increase, phenology of attack, multivoltinism and versatile feeding behaviour. Based on the present study, it could be concluded that C. portulacae could contribute considerably to reduce purslane weed in crop fields.

Composition and environmental interpretation of the weed communities in the main planting base of jujube (Ziziphus jujubaMill. cv. ‘LingwuChangzao’), Ningxia province of China

“…Some weed species exhibited broad ecological amplitude, while others were restricted to specific types of environments with very narrow amplitude, suggesting that the recorded ecological amplitude of weed species differed from each other caused both by phenotypic plasticity and heterogeneity ( Alsherif, 2020 ). Portulaca oleracea is recognized as one of the worst weeds throughout the world and invades most subtropical and temperate agroecosystems, which occurs in almost all soil types and invades arable land quickly and is difficult to eradicate ( Visalakshy, 2007 ). Chenopodium album is one of the problematic weeds, which has the characteristics of fast growth, high fecundity, wide adaptability and high phytotoxicity ( Alshallash, 2018 ).…”

Annotated checklist of Indian Ceutorhynchinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

“…Ceutorhynchus adults gnaw leaves, stems, buds and flowers of the cruciferous plants (Korotyaev, 2006). Some Ceutorhynchinae species feed on weeds and therefore are used or considered as biological control agents against weeds (Peschken and Wilkinson, 1981;Burki et al, 2001;Colpetzer et al, 2004;Korotyaev, 2006;Newman et al, 2006;Gerber et al, 2007;Visalakshy, 2007). There are some interesting biological and morphological peculiarities that occur in subgroups of Ceutorhynchinae and noteworthy is the ability to leap, expressed to a varying degree in several tribes of Ceutorhynchinae, which is not developed to a comparable extent in other Curculionidae except for Rhamphini (Curculioninae) and has been newly acquired within the Ceutorhynchinae (Korotyaev, 2006).…”