ABSTRACT
An evaluated on was made of cultivated Malvaceae plants: Hibiscus tiliaceus, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Hibiscus schizopetalus, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Hibiscus syriacus, Malvaviscus arboreus, Abelmoschus esculentus, Thespesia populnea and Gossypium hirsutum (control) as reproductive host plants for the boll weevil. H. tiliaceus, H. rosa-sinensis, H. schizopetalus, H. sabdariffa and A. esculentus were available by artificial oviposition and the results showed the boll weevil can be developed in these species, however, the adult mean weight was very low compared to that of the boll weevil from cotton field. The best species was H. rosa-sinensis, which presented a higher percentage of emerged adults, a shorter biological cycle, even more so then the control, and adult boll weevil mean longevity and mean weight near to that of the control. H. tiliaceus, H. rosa-sinensis, H. schizopetalus, H. sabdariffa, H. syriacus, M. arboreus, A esculentus and T. populnea were available by natural oviposition but the female boll weevil did not lay eggs in any of these plants. The results showed that these species are not reproductive host plants for the boll weevil.
KEY WORDS:
Anthonomus grandis; Malvaceae; host plants; reproduction.