| dc.description.abstract | The objective of this study was to determine the effect of potassium fertilizer on pales weevil (Hylobius pales, Herbst.) feeding. To accomplish this goal two species of pine seedlings, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda, L.) and slash pine (Pinus elliottii, Engelm.), were treated with four different fertilizer solutions with potassium concentrations of 0 ppm, 325 ppm and 430 ppm. Four seedlings, one from each of the four fertilizer treatments, and eight weevils were included in each replication of the experiment. Seedlings were exposed to weevil feeding for a two week period followed by evaluation of feeding damage which was measured in two ways: (1) an estimation of phloem tissue damage and (2) a pressure bomb determination of seedling stress. Also, the potassium content of the seedlings was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Foliar analysis revealed significant differences in potassium content did exist between treatments, but only small decreases in phloem tissue damage occurred with increased potassium content. Results from the pressure bomb measurement were highly variable and of little value. | en |
