277 



the time, labor, and salt water required to extract the eggs would be reduced. 

 Specialized equipment such as germinating trays, racks for holding these trays, 

 and the roller press are not needed to prepare the new puree. Although statis- 

 tical analysis of the data did not show significant differences in the number 

 of eggs produced by the 2 diets, the reduction in cost of the cottonseed meat 

 diet justifies its use. 



52A. , and Malone, 0. L. 1973. Sodium benzoate and sodium propionate as 

 anticontamination diets fed to adult boll weevils. J. Econ. Entomol. 

 66: 577. 

 The smallest doses did not significantly change the mean number of eggs per fe- 

 male per day from that obtained with the standard diet. However, when 0.326% 

 sodium benzoate or 2.43% sodium propionate was added, the mean number of eggs 

 per females per day increased to 14.2 and 12.3, respectively, or 52.69 and 

 32.26%. Increases also occurred at the highest doses but to a lesser degree. 

 No mortality was noted even at the highest dose during the 14 days of the test. 

 Also, 50-egg samples collected each day for 7days from pellets containing 0.326% 

 sodium benzoate and from the standard pellets were placed on moistened filter 

 paper in a petri dish and checked daily for 5 days; the newly hatched larvae 

 were removed from the petri dish and counted. The mean hatch of the eggs from 

 the standard diet was 63.7%; that of eggs from pellets containing 0.326% sodium 

 benzoate was 82.2%. Therefore, sodium benzoate at 0.326% has been used in the 

 rearing program at the laboratory for almost a year with excellent results. As 

 a result, the frastic fluctuations in egg production that had occurred have 

 ceased, and the production of eggs is more stable and predictable. 



525. ; Poe, W. E.; and Hedin, P. A. 1980. Essential amino acids in dietary 

 protein sources and the nutritional status and oviposition of boll 

 weevils. J. Econ. Entomol. 73: 172-175. 



