Flameless catalytic infrared radiation used for grain disinfestation does not affect hard red winter wheat quality

The effects of a bench top flameless catalytic infrared emitter at temperatures and times used for disinfesting grain on the physical, chemical, rheological, and end-use qualities of wheat were evaluated in the laboratory. The test weight of wheat was unaffected when 113.5 and 227.0 g of hard red winter wheat were exposed for 45 or 60 s to infrared radiation. However, a slight drop in kernel moisture increased kernel hardness, but these effects were reversed when the wheat was tempered prior to milling. Flour, shorts, and bran yields, and chemical properties (protein and ash) of these fractions from untreated wheat and infrared-treated wheat showed minor differences that were inconsequential. Mixograph and bake test results did not reveal any consistent adverse effects of infrared radiation on the quality parameters studied. Our results show that infrared treatments that provide effective control of stored-grain insects do not affect the physical, chemical, rheological, and end-use qualities of hard red winter wheat.     

An investigation into the use of an X-ray technique in the study of pre-emergent stages of Sitophilus oryzae (L.) developing in Manitoba wheat

The suitability of using an X-ray technique to study pre-emergent stages of Sitophilus oryzae (L.) developing in Manitoba wheat was investigated. A sample of grain was radiographed once every other working day subsequent to exposure to adult S. oryzae for 24 hr, until the emergence of the F1 generation. Eggs and small larvae were not detected in this manner, but after 13 days larvae were detected with increasing efficiency. Pupae and adults within the grain could be detected and were easily distinguished from larvae and pupae.The development of S. oryzae in individual wheat grains was investigated by sticking each grain of wheat to the Sellotape base of an aluminium cell prior to exposure to one female S. oryzae adult, and subsequently radiographing every other day for 23 days. Larvae were positively identified in grains as early as 9 days after oviposition by tracing back their development in the developed X-ray films, and seven suspected (although not positively identified) eggs were seen on the first day after oviposition.A quantity of grain was X-rayed immediately prior to fumigation and at intervals after fumigation. The efficiency with which dead insects were detected decreased with time after fumigation.     

Effect of uneven distribution of spinetoram-treated wheat and rice on mortality and progeny production of Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), Sitophilus oryzae (L.) and Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val

Laboratory bioassays were carried out in order to evaluate the effectiveness of spinetoram on rice and wheat in layer and mixture treatment applications against three major stored-grain beetle species, Rhyzopertha dominica, Sitophilus oryzae and Tribolium confusum. Spinetoram was applied at 1 ppm (1 mg/kg of grain). In the layer treatment the grain was placed in vials (8 cm high, 3 cm in diameter); in those vials there was five categories of grain: untreated (control), totally-treated, and with the upper 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2 treated. Also, there were two categories of insect introduction: before or after the grain placement. In the mixture treatment, the vials contained 20 g of grain divided into six categories: vials that contained untreated grain (control) and vials that contained 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100% treated grains. Mortality was assessed after 14 d for both treatments but with an intermediate 7-d assessment for the mixture treatment. After this interval, all adults were removed, and progeny production was measured 65 d later. From the species tested, R. dominica was by far the most susceptible in both treatments. Generally, in the layer treatment, mortality of R. dominica reduced with the size of the treated layer in the vials. Also, mortality was significantly lower when the exposed R. dominica adults had been placed before the introduction of the grain. For S. oryzae, mortality was lower in comparison with R. dominica and in general, mortality was lower on rice than on wheat, even in the case of totally-treated grains. Survival of T. confusum was considerably higher than both R. dominica and S. oryzae. In the mixture treatment, mortality of R. dominica was 82–100% after 14 d of exposure. Again mortality was considerably lower on rice than on wheat. For S. oryzae, mortality was higher in vials containing totally-treated or 50% treated kernels, in comparison with the other treatments. Progeny production of R. dominica in the layer treatment increased with the reduction of the treated layer for both commodities. In contrast, for S. oryzae, there were no differences in progeny production counts between treated and untreated grains, with the exception of totally-treated wheat. In the mixture treatment progeny production increased with the reduction of the percentage of the treated grains, but there were considerable differences between wheat and rice. The overall results suggest that spinetoram is very effective against R. dominica, moderately effective against S. oryzae, and not very effective against T. confusum. Uneven application of spinetoram may, under certain circumstances, provide satisfactory control of R. dominica.     

Disinfestation of stored wheat grain and flour using gamma rays and microwave heating

Samples of wheat grain and flour (20 gm of each) were infested with 20 larvae or 5 pairs of adult insects of Tribolium confusum, Lasioderma serricorne, Corcyra cephalonica or Rhyzopertha dominica. The infested samples were tested as follows : (1) microwave heating at four temperature levels 40, 45,50 and 55 °C, for exposure times from10 to 50 s; (2) gamma irradiation over the dose range of 0.5-4 KGy; (3) gamma irradiation + microwave heating. Complete kill of all stages tested was achieved at 50 °C with an exposure time of 50 s. A dose of 2 KGy induced 100% mortality of R. dominica after three days, but it took up to 7 days for all T. confusum and L. serricorne adults to die after a 4-KGy exposure. All insects died within 24 h when exposed to the combination of 1KGy + 50 °C for 30 s.Biochemical analyses on the samples of wheat grain and flour subjected to those treatments at which high mortality was obtained generally showed no detectable changes in the quality of protein, fat, fiber, carbohydrates or ash. The germination of wheat grain was lowered after treatment with microwave radiation but was not affected by a dose of 1 KGy gamma radiation.     

Biology,morphology and molecular characterization of Sitophilus oryzae and S. zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The present study focuses on the variations in biology, morphology and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) sequences of the two Indian populations of the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L.) and S. zeamais (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), which occur on cereals as storage grain pests. These two species are the important pest of major importance and morphologically are very similar to each other. The biological study reveals that the developmental period, longevity, mating and premating period are longer in S. zeamais compared to S. oryzae. The developmental periods of eggs, first to fourth instar larvae, pupae and adults were 6.9, 5.8, 7.0, 8.4, 7.5, 12.5 and 3.5 days, respectively with total life cycle duration of 51.6 days in S. zeamais; and it was 5.5, 5.0, 5.7, 6.5, 7.0, 7.4 and 2.4 days, respectively with total life cycle duration of 39.1 days in S. oryzae. Morphometrics of the life stages revealed significant differences in the dimensions of length and width except in case of eggs and fourth instar larvae. Since, morphological identification were quite confusing and difficult, some characters such as dentations on fore tibia, gular suture on rostrum, apex of 8th tergite and variation in the spermatheca, are brought out as additional diagnostic characters. This study evaluated the utility of mtCOI sequences for quick and accurate species diagnosis of S. oryzae and S. zeamais independent of life stages and sex. The phylogenetic analyses revealed that among the four species of the genus Sitophilus, S. oryzae and S. zeamais cluster together (1.0 PP and 84% ML) and are closer to S. linearis (Hbst.) than S. granarius (L.).     

Toxicity of coumaran to stored products beetles

The fumigant activity of coumaran was tested against mixed-age cultures of the rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae L.), the lesser grain borer (Rhyzopertha dominica F.), the rust-red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum Herbst), saw-toothed grain beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis L.) and flat grain beetle (Cryptolestes ferrugineus Stephens). T. castaneum was tolerant to coumaran, for total population extinction was achieved in 72 h exposure at 50 μg/L dose only. In contrast all developmental stages of O. surinamensis, C. ferrugineus and R. dominica were quite susceptible 100% mortality was attained at < 50 μg/L doses in 24 or 72 h exposure. Further results showed that T. castaneum, generally tolerant pest to fumigants and R. dominica, a predominant stored grain pest in India, could be controlled by coumaran. The findings indicate that, coumaran is good source for alternate to methylbromide for effective control of stored grain insect pests.     

Susceptibility of Ethiopian wheat varieties to granary weevil and rice weevil infestation at optimal and sub-optimal temperatures

Integrating varietal resistance with temperature manipulation during storage may provide a better option for protection of stored grains and may decrease reliance on the use of synthetic chemicals. The current study was conducted to determine the susceptibility of different varieties of wheat seed to the infestation by the granary weevil, Sitophilus granarius (L.), and rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.), at optimal (30 °C) and sub-optimal (19 °C) temperatures. Kernels of six wheat varieties namely, Danda'a, Digalu, ET-13-A2, Kakaba, Millennium, and Pavon-76 were examined over a period of 90 d. Significant interactions were detected between wheat varieties and storage temperature for progeny emergence, percentage of insect damaged kernels, grain weight loss, and amount of powder produced per gram of wheat. Kernels of Danda'a, infested with S. oryzae at 30 °C exhibited significantly lower mean progeny counts (13.3 live insects), lower percentage of grain weight loss (4.2%) and insect-damaged kernels (6.4%), and powder production (1.5 mg/g). Kernel weight and hardness index were negatively associated with percentage of insect damaged kernels and grain weight loss. Kernel diameter was positively associated with both of percentage of insect damaged kernels and grain weight loss. Wheat varieties with high Zeleny sedimentation values had lower percentage of insect-damaged kernels and grain weight loss. These results indicated that kernel weight, hardness index, and protein content are predominant factors contributing to wheat resistance against S. granarius and S. oryzae. The varieties Millennium and Danda'a can be considered with other integrated pest management approaches to reduce stored grain losses of wheat in Ethiopia.     

Insecticidal effect of spinetoram against six major stored grain insect species

Spinetoram is a novel insecticide that belongs to the spinosyn class of insecticidal chemicals. The efficacy of spinetoram against numerous insect pest species in a variety of field crops has been well demonstrated. However, there are no data available for the effectiveness of spinetoram against stored grain insects. In the present study, we evaluated spinetoram as a grain protectant, against six stored-product Coleoptera. The species tested were: the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae, the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica, the larger grain borer, Prostephanus truncatus, the confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum, the granary weevil, Sitophilus granarius and the sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis. All species were tested at the adult stage, on wheat (or maize in the case of P. truncatus) treated to achieve spinetoram concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 5 and 10 ppm. Mortality was recorded after 1, 2, 7, 14 and 21 d of exposure, and 65 d later the wheat and maize were examined for offspring emergence. Among the species examined, P. truncatus and R. dominica were by far the most susceptible, given that mortality was close to 100% after 7 d on wheat treated or maize with 0.1 ppm of spinetoram. At this concentration, progeny production of P. truncatus and R. dominica was negligible. On the other hand, T. confusum was the least susceptible; mortality reached 95% only at 10 ppm, and only after 14 d of exposure. Similarly, O. surinamensis was of limited susceptibility to spinetoram; mortality reached 95% only after 14 d of exposure on wheat treated with 5 ppm. Nevertheless, offspring emergence of these species was extremely low. For S. granarius and S. oryzae, complete (100%) mortality was recorded after 14 d of exposure, at 0.5 and 1 ppm, respectively. At these concentrations or higher, progeny production was notably reduced. The results of the present study demonstrate that spinetoram is effective as a grain protectant, but its efficacy varies according to the target species, concentration and exposure interval.     

Effects of spinosad on the heat tolerance and cold tolerance of Sitophilus oryzae L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Rhyzopertha dominica F. (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae)

Sitophilus oryzae and Rhyzopertha dominica are serious insect pests of stored products in Sri Lanka. Currently pirimiphos methyl and phosphine fumigation are used as control measures but grain handlers seek for alternatives. Exposure to high or low temperature is popular in stored-product insect pest management but is expensive. Spinosad is effective against certain stored-product insects but has not yet been tested for its synergy with heat or cold. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of spinosad on the heat tolerance and cold tolerance of S. oryzae and R. dominica adults. The experiment was a two-factor factorial, complete randomized design with four replicates. The spinosad concentration and exposure period were changed. Adults of S. oryzae and R. dominica were first exposed to a series of spinosad concentrations. Later they were held at higher (40 °C) or lower (6–11 °C) temperatures than room temperature for different durations.Pre exposure of S. oryzae adults to Spinosad at 18 ppm or above synergized the adult mortality at high or low temperature showing a dose response. Pre-exposure of R. dominica adults to spinosad concentrations 12.5 ppm or higher synergized the mortality at high temperature whereas the spinosad synergized the mortality of R. dominica at low temperature when exposed to 6.25 ppm or higher concentrations; the effects followed a dose response. This study shows that heat and cold tolerance of S. oryzae and R. dominica adults are reduced by pre-exposure to spinosad. Therefore, spinosad is a potential grain protectant at high or low temperatures against these two insect species.     

Effectiveness of insecticide-incorporated bags to control stored-product beetles

Adults of seven stored-product beetle species were exposed on the inside and outside surfaces of polypropylene polymer bags incorporated with the insecticide deltamethrin (approx. concentration of 3000 ppm; ZeroFly^® Storage Bags (3 g/kg). Beetles were exposed for 60, 120, and 180 min, and 1, 3 and 5 days on the same treatment arenas, and after the 5 d interval the insects were removed and placed in untreated arenas for 5 more days. All Trogoderma variable (Ballion), the warehouse beetle, Prostephanus truncatus (Horn), the larger grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), the lesser grain borer, and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), the red flour beetle, were knocked down on the outside and inside surfaces of the bag after one hour of exposure. Mortality of T. variable, P. truncatus, and R. dominica increased during the exposure period, with generally lower mortality on the inside versus the outside of the bag after either 3 or 5 days of continual exposure. However, maximum mortality of T. castaneum, the red flour beetle, was only 5.6 ± 3.4% after 5 days of exposure. While it took longer for 100% knockdown of Sitophilus oryzae (L.), the rice weevil, compared to the above species, all S. oryzae were dead after 5 d of exposure on both surfaces. In contrast, after 5 days knockdown of Sitophilus zeamais (Motschlulsky), the maize weevil, did not exceed 30% and there was no mortality. After the Sitophilus species were transferred to untreated arenas, knockdown of all species decreased and mortality increased, indicating delayed mortality and no recovery from knockdown. Mortality of Dermestes maculatus (DeGeer), the hide beetle, did not exceed 5.6% at any time and there was no delayed mortality, indicating a potential tolerance of this particular strain of D. maculatus used in the study. Our results show that the ZeroFly^® Storage Bags could effectively limit penetration of stored-product beetles through the bag into stored grains or milled grain products.     

Combined effects of contact insecticides and 50 °C temperature on Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in wheat grain

The effects of the insecticides deltamethrin, bifenthrin, thiamethoxam, spinosad and abamectin were tested in the laboratory in combination with extreme temperature of 50 °C to discover potential improvements of existing pest management programmes for Sitophilus oryzae (L.) control. Adults were released into wheat grain treated with three insecticide doses ranging 0.125–1.0 mg/kg and exposed to 50±1 °C temperature at the intervals of 0, 65, 75 and 85 min, and direct and combined effects were determined after 1, 2, 7 and 14 days of exposure/recovery at 25±1 °C and 60 ± 5% r. h., as well as impact on F₁ progeny production/reduction PR (%) after 8 weeks.The results showed that the mortality of S. oryzae adults increased with exposure/recovery duration more than under the activity of each insecticide alone and its interaction with extreme temperature. After 14 days, all three rates of deltamethrin (0.125–0.5 mg/kg), the two higher rates of bifenthrin (0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg) and the highest rates of abamectin (0.5 mg/kg) and thiamethoxam (1.0 mg/kg) caused maximum adult mortality (100%) and PR (100%) after weevil exposure to 50 °C already after the interval of 65 min, while spinosad had the same effect after 75 and 85 min, which effectiveness was 1.25–20 times higher than the activities of the insecticides and 50 °C temperature alone, considering all trial variants. The lowest rate of bifenthrin (0.125 mg/kg) was found after 65 min activity in combination with exposure to 50 °C, and especially spinosad (0.25 mg/kg) after 65 and 75 min, to have stimulated progeny production 17, 33 and 236%, respectively, while deltametrin showed 100% effectiveness against S. oryzae in all combinations of wheat grain treatment at 50 °C temperature, including the dose 0.125 mg/kg.     

Enhancement the efficacy of spinosad for the control Sitophilus oryzae by combined application with diatomaceous earth and Trichoderma harzianum

Laboratory tests were carried out to evaluate the effect of diatomaceous earth (DE) originated from Egypt and Trichoderma harzianum on the efficacy of spinosad applied at low application rates against Sitophilus oryzae adults in stored wheat. Spinosad was assessed at 0.05, 0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg (ppm) alone or combined with DE at 100, 500 and 1000 mg/kg (ppm) or with T. harzianum at 3.3 × 10⁶, 6.6 × 10⁶ and 2.1 × 10⁷ spores/kg. Adult mortality after 7, 14 and 21 days, progeny reduction after 45 and 90 days, and wheat weight loss were determined for all individual and binary treatments. Adult mortality increased with respect to increased exposure interval and application rate. Complete adult mortality (100%) was achieved after 21 days using 0.5 mg/kg of spinosad with all tested doses of DE and with 2.10 × 10⁷ spores/kg of T. harzinum). Progeny production of S. oryzae was significantly reduced at all treatments compared to untreated wheat. No progeny was observed in the wheat treated with the combined treatments (0.5 mg/kg of spinosad + 1000 mg/kg of DE) and (0.5 mg/kg of spinosad + 2.10 × 10⁷ spores/kg of T. harzinum) after 45 and 90 days. Similar trends were noted for wheat weight loss as the combined treatments at highest rates preserved the wheat intact and free from damage caused by S. oryzae for 90 days. Our findings suggest the combinations of spinosad at low rates with DE or T. harzianum can be effectively used for the control S. oryzae and provide long-term protection of stored wheat.     

Efficacy of filter cake and Triplex powders from Ethiopia applied to wheat against Sitophilus zeamais and Sitophilus oryzae

The efficacy of filter cake and Triplex powders applied to wheat was evaluated in the laboratory against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky and rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (Linnaeus)—two most common insect pests associated with stored grain in Ethiopia. Efficacy of these powders was determined by exposing 20 adults of each species to 100 g of wheat treated with 0, 100, 500, 700 and 1000 mg/kg of filter cake and Triplex. Adult mortality was determined 7 and 14 d after exposure. In addition, adult progeny production, percentage of insect damaged kernels, and percentage of grain weight loss at each species-powder-concentration-time combinations were determined after 42 d. The 7 and 14 d mortality was 100% for adults of both species exposed to 1000 mg/kg of filter cake; only the 14 d mortality of Sitophilus species was 100% for adults exposed to 700 mg/kg. Mortality of S. oryzae adults was 100% when exposed for 14 d to1000 mg/kg of Triplex. Mortality of S. zeamais never reached 100% in any Triplex treatments. Adult progeny production of S. zeamais was completely suppressed at filter cake concentrations of 700 and 1000 mg/kg, whereas 1000 mg/kg was necessary for complete suppression of S. oryzae adult progeny production. Complete suppression of adult progeny production was not observed in any Triplex treatments. Complete reduction in percentage of insect damaged kernels and percentage of grain weight loss were obtained when S. zeamais and S. oryzae adults were exposed to 1000 mg/kg of filter cake; similar reductions with S. zeamais occurred only at 1000 mg/kg of Triplex. In the case of S. oryzae, complete reduction of insect damaged kernels and grain weight loss were not achieved at any concentration of Triplex. These powders can be used as alternatives to chemical insecticides for management of Sitophilus species.     

Efficacy of pirimiphos-methyl,deltamethrin, spinosad and silicoSec against adults and larvae of Tenebrio molitor L. on wheat,barley and maize

The yellow mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is a noxious insect that causes serious damages to stored products worldwide. In the present study, pirimiphos-methyl, deltamethrin, spinosad and silicoSec were evaluated as grain protectans against adults, small and large larvae of this species on wheat, barley and maize at label doses. Mortalities were estimated after 1, 3, 7 and 14 days of exposure. All tested insecticides were able to control T. molitor adults. Complete (100%) mortality of adults was noted after 14 days of exposure on wheat and maize treated with pirimiphos-methyl or silicoSec and barley treated with pirimiphos-methyl, silicoSec and spinosad. Larvae were more tolerant than adults to insecticidal treatments. However, pirimiphos-methyl caused high levels of mortality to small larvae that were 71.1, 91.1 and 60% on wheat, barley and maize respectively after 14 days post exposure. The type of commodity played a significant role on the performance of the tested insecticides. Mortality was higher on barley and wheat than on maize for all tested stages and insecticides. Our results indicate that the life stage of T. molitor and the type of commodity should be taken into account for the management of this species.     

Efficacy of two Nigeria-derived diatomaceous earths against Sitophilus oryzae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Rhyzopertha dominica (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) on wheat

We investigated the effectiveness of two raw diatomaceous earths (DEs) obtained from Bularafa and Abakire districts in Yobe State, Nigeria, against the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.) and the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.). Insecto, a commercialized DE, was also tested as standard check. Adults of the two species were exposed on wheat admixed with the respective DEs at a dose rate of 1000 ppm, at 30 °C and 55% RH. Relative to R. dominica, Insecto, Bularafa and Abakire DEs induced 14-d corrected adult mortalities of 73.6, 61.2 and 40.4%, respectively. Corrected 14-day adult mortalities against S. oryzae were 100, 100 and 81%, respectively. Mortality increased with increasing exposure duration. Bularafa and Insecto DEs were more effective than Abakire DE both in terms of adult insect mortality and F1 progeny suppression in the two species investigated. Both species avoided contact with DE-treated wheat. Bularafa and Insecto DEs contain higher levels of silica (81.0% and 87.0%, respectively) than Abakire DE (60.2%), and also have smaller particle sizes than Abakire DE. These differences in silica level and particle size probably explain why Bularafa and Insecto DEs are more effective against S. oryzae and R. dominica than Abakire DE. The decreasing order of efficacy of the three DEs against the two pest species is Insecto > Bularafa > Abakire. Bularafa DE has potential for the management of insect pests of stored grain in Nigeria.     

The effectiveness of low temperature (5 °C) on Sitophilus oryzae (L.), Sitophilus zeamais (Motch.) and Sitophilus granarius (L.) in wheat grain: The impact of pre-acclimation

Laboratory trials were conducted in wheat grain to assess the effectiveness of low temperature (5 °C), applied at intervals of 5, 7, 9, 11, 20, 25, 30 and 35 days (d), as a control measure for stored product insect pests of the genus Sitophilus, and compared the results with the impacts of 7 d pre-acclimation at 15 °C and non-acclimation. Mortality was determined after 1, 2 and 7 d of recovery in the laboratory at 25 ± 1 °C and 60 ± 5% r. h., while progeny were assessed 7 weeks later. Acclimation had the strongest impact on S. oryzae after 5 d exposure to 5 °C and 7 d recovery, while the same effect on S. zeamais was shown after 20 and 25 d of exposure and 1 d recovery, and the same impact on S. granarius occurred after 30 and 20 d of exposure and 1 and 7 d recovery, respectively. Low temperature was found to be the most effective against S. oryzae, and the least effective against S. granarius. Mortality was high (≥96%) in both S. oryzae test groups after 11 d of exposure and 7 d recovery, S. zeamais mortality was high (>97%) after 35 and 30 d of exposure and 2 and 7 d of recovery, respectively, and S. granarius mortality was ≤87% in all test variants. Total reduction (100%) of non-acclimated S. oryzae, S. zeamais and S. granarius progeny required 8, 25 and 30 d of exposure to 5 °C, respectively, while acclimated weevils required 11, 30 and 30 d, respectively.     

Persistence and efficacy of indoxacarb against three stored product insect species on wheat and maize

In the present study, we investigated the insecticidal efficacy of indoxacarb on wheat and maize, against adults of three major stored-grain species, the rice weevil, Sitophilius oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae) and the confused flour beetle, Tribollium confusum Jacquelin Du Val (Coleoptera). For this purpose, bioassays were carried out with indoxacarb at the doses 0.1, 1 and 10 ppm. Moreover, the treated grains were left at the laboratory for a period of six months, in order to examine the residual effect of indoxacarb, by conducting bioassays at monthly intervals. For S. oryzae and R. dominica, adults were exposed in the treated grains for 7 and 14 d, while for T. confusum adults were exposed for 14 and 21 d, in order to estimate the mortality level. After the termination of this interval, the treated samples were left for an additional period of 65 days, on which progeny production was recorded. R. dominica was by far more susceptible than S. oryzae, given that mortality, in many cases, reached 100% even after 7 d of exposure, even at the lowest dose rate of 0.1 ppm. At the same time, for this species, progeny production was low. For S. oryzae, mortality was low at 0.1 ppm, with high levels of progeny production. T. confusum was the least susceptible of the species tested. Generally, during the experimental period, the efficacy of indoxacarb was decreased, but mortality was higher on wheat than on maize. Indoxacarb residues determination by GC-ECD indicated that after 6 months 33% of the insecticide remains in grains at 0.1 ppm dose, about 40–50% at 1 ppm and about 40–60% at 10 ppm dose. Based on the results of the present work, indoxacarb is an effective grain protectant, at least in the case of R. dominica and S. oryzae.     

Efficacy of layer grain treatment with thiamethoxam against adults of Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) and Sitophilus oryzae (L.)

The insecticidal effect of the neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam, applied in layers of wheat, was studied in laboratory experiments, for the control of the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) and the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L.). In general, the increase of the size of the treated layer of wheat increased parental morality and decreased progeny production for both species. However, progeny production could not be totally avoided, even when the entire grain quantity was treated. Parental morality was lower for R. dominica than for S. oryzae, but the reverse was observed for progeny production for all treatments. Insect placement drastically affected thiamethoxam efficacy, since morality was generally higher when insects were forced to move downwards from the upper layer, as compared with insects that had been placed in the bottom part of the wheat column. Our study shows that thiamethoxam can reduce insect populations in partially treated wheat, at concentrations that are comparable with other, currently registered grain protectants.     

Stored grain pest prevalence and insecticide resistance in Egyptian populations of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L.)

As a consequence of the widespread use of insecticides against insect pests in grain warehouses and in the food industry, insecticide resistance has greatly increased among these species all over the world. Nonetheless, insecticide resistance in stored grain insects in Egypt was little studied. Therefore, our study aimed to forecast infestation risks and determine the insecticide resistance level in Egyptian populations of the main insect pests of stored grains. To achieve this goal, we surveyed the populations of stored-product insects in wheat in two different sites in the Alexandria governorate (Egypt) between June and August 2017. Moreover, insecticide resistance levels in Egyptian populations of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Sitophilus oryzae (L.) collected from wheat storage facilities (granaries and flour mills) in Alexandria governorate were also determined. Three contact insecticides, namely malathion, pirimiphos-methyl and cypermethrin, were tested. Tarsal contact bioassays on filter paper were carried out on adults following FAO methods and concentration-mortality lines were estimated to determine the resistance ratios for each insecticide and population. The data from the monitoring of insects revealed that T. castaneum and S. oryzae were the most common species infesting wheat in both Alexandria granaries and mills. Populations of S. oryzae were generally more resistant to malathion than the populations of T. castaneum. However, T. castaneum populations were more resistant to pirimiphos-methyl than the S. oryzae populations. Both populations of T. castaneum and S. oryzae were susceptible to cypermethrin. The detected levels of insecticide resistance indicate that this phenomenon takes place and should be a concern in Egyptian populations of T. castaneum and S. oryzae requiring monitoring and design of resistance management practices.     

Microwaves to control Callosobruchus maculatus in stored mung bean (Vigna radiata)

Disinfestation of stored grains using microwaves can be an alternative to chemical methods for controlling insects in grains and pulses. Mung bean of 12% moisture content (m.c.) was infested with different life stages of the cowpea weevil (Callosobruchus maculatus) and exposed to 200, 300 or 400 W microwave power levels for 14, 28 and 42 s. One hundred percent insect mortality for all life stages (egg, young larva, old larva, pupa and adult) was achieved with exposure to 400 W power level for 28 s, which caused a surface temperature of mung bean of 68.1 °C. Eggs were the most susceptible and adults were the least susceptible life stages to microwave treatments. No significant difference was observed between mortality of larvae and pupae stages and their mortality was between eggs and adults. Mung bean temperatures increased and germination decreased with increased power level or exposure time.