Pest preferences for cranberry cultivars determined
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 - 12:01
in Biology & Nature
To determine whether insect herbivores have a feeding preference for certain cultivars of cranberry, researchers investigated the phenolic profiles in the foliage of two cranberry cultivars, then isolated and identified compounds that differed between the two cultivars. Gypsy moth larvae demonstrated a significant feeding preference for 'Howes' over 'Early Black' cranberry. Red-headed flea beetle adults demonstrated a similar, but not statistically significant, trend, and cranberry weevil preferred neither cultivar.