'Cosmodrome': an experimental design to study movements and behavior of the banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus, using RFID

Abstract : The banana weevil Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) is an important pest of banana crops. Radio-tracking and capture-recapture studies at the scale of the field have revealed a limited capacity of dispersion of the banana weevil. However, for a better understanding of the epidemiological process more information on the movement at a finer scale is needed. To analyze the behavioral response of individuals, we use the Cosmodrome, an experimental design composed of two patches whose quality may vary (bare soil, banana rhizome). The patches are connected by a tunnel of one meter of length at the ends of which RFID tag readers are placed. We analyzed the behavioral response of individuals to variation in patch density. The statistical analysis of results using generalized linear model revealed that the individuals shows a non-linear response of movement to the density in patches. The banana weevil tends to move at a higher rate at intermediate density than at low and high density. The movement response to patch density differs also according to the sex, with a higher activity of females than males at low and intermediate patch density. These preliminary results on the effect of density may reflect the individual strategies of colonization of banana fields by Cosmopolites sordidus that maximize the individual fitness (mating, oviposition). The information on movement and behavior of the banana weevil at the plant level is of great importance for the understanding of the dynamic of the epidemiological front during the colonization process.