Effect of Several Management Tactics on Adult Mortality and Progeny Production of Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on Stored Corn in the Laboratory

Abstract

A factorial experiment was conducted to examine the effects of temperature, corn hybrid, moisture content of corn, malathion treatment, and presence or absence of surface-contaminating fungi on adult survival, progeny production, progeny weight, and time to 50% emergence of the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky. Temperature, moisture content, surface contamination, and malathion significantly influenced maize weevil mortality. Progeny production was affected by these factors as well as by the corn hybrids. Progeny weight and time to 50% emergence were affected only by temperature and moisture content. There were several highly significant interactions, most notably between temperature and moisture content. Temperature, corn hybrid, and moisture content appear to offer the greatest potential for nonchemical control of maize weevil in bulk grain stores.