Abstract:

In this study, both healthy tissue culture plantlets and maiden suckers of the Nakitembe cultivar were
used to assess the damage level variation caused by banana weevils collected from diferent banana growing regions.
Seventy-nine (79) tissue culture plantlets and ffty (50) suckers were established in buckets in a randomized complete
block design for 5 months. Ten adult weevils (5 females and 5 males) were introduced at the base of each plant, and
the buckets were covered with a weevil proof mesh. Weevil damage was estimated as a percentage at 60 days after
the weevil introduction by estimating the peripheral damage (PD), total cross section corm damage (XT) and above
the collar damage (ACD).
Results: The results showed high diferences in the PD, XI, XO and XT caused by weevils from the diferent zones. PD
and XT ranged from 4.8–50.4 to 4.2–43.8%, respectively, caused by weevils collected from Kabale and Rakai, Kabale
and Wakiso, respectively, while XI and XO varied from 0.0–42.9 to 8.3–40.4%, respectively, caused by banana weevils
collected from Kabale and Rakai, Kabale and Rakai, respectively. Banana weevils from Rakai caused the highest ACD of
40.4% and no such damage was caused by banana weevils collected from western Uganda. Average ACD in suckers
was 19.6% and signifcantly higher than that in tissue culture plants (8.5%).
Conclusions and recommendations: Corm damage assessment suggests the existence of banana weevil biotypes
but it is recommended that follow-up studies be carried out to confirm this phenomenon