Journal of Economic Entomology (2019) 112, 2450-2457

Thomas N. Vassilakos, Jordi Riudavets, Cristina Castañé, Rey D. Iturralde-Garcia and Christos G. Athanassiou (2019)
Efficacy of modified atmospheres on Trogoderma granarium (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) and Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Journal of Economic Entomology 112 (5), 2450-2457
Abstract: We investigated the efficacy of two types of modified atmospheres (MA) against adults of the khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts, and the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, under laboratory conditions. Adults of the above species on wheat were exposed to a carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration of 70% or a low oxygen (O₂) concentration of 0.1% for durations of 0.67 (16 h), 1, 2, 4, and 6 d and stored in an environmental chamber set at 28 ± 2°C, 70 ± 5% RH, and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) h. After each exposure interval, immediate mortality and knockdown were recorded, and the surviving or knocked down individuals were transferred to normal atmospheres and returned to the environmental chamber, where survival was recorded 7 d later. In addition, after the immediate and delayed mortality counts, all adults were removed from the substrate, and the number of progeny produced was recorded 60 d later. Both MA conditions totally controlled (100% mortality) the adults of T. granarium and S. zeamais immediately after a 6-d exposure or after a 4-d exposure when delayed mortality was taken into account, showing the postexposure effect of the MA. Moreover, high CO₂ was more effective than low O₂ for S. zeamais, whereas the reverse was true for T. granarium. The 4-d exposure period was crucial for the production of progeny of both species because after that period surviving insects did not produce offspring. Our results show that both MA conditions can be used with success to control these species.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Jordi Riudavets, Cristina Castañe

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Sitophilus zeamais
	Trogoderma granarium