Suitability of different types of food stuffs for mass rearing of rice moth, corcyra cephalonica (stainton) and saw-toothed grain beetle, oryzaephilus surinamensis (l.) under laboratory conditions

Abstract

Mass rearing of Corcyra cephalonica and Oryzaphilus surinamensis adults on six different types of foodstuffs namely, wheat germ, complete wheat flour, rice flour, corn flour, basbousa flour and wheat flour (zero) were evaluated. Our results obtained reveal that mean developmental period (MDP) of C. cephalonica and O .surinamensis from egg lay to emerge adult on different foodstuffs was ranged between 44.00 & 55.33 and 30.33 & 41.33 days, respectively. Longest MDP was occurred on corn flour and rice flour illustrating 55.33 and 41.33 days, resp. While, the shortest period reaching to 44.00 and 30.33 days on wheat germ. Wheat germ was recorded the maximum adult emergence (AE) % (25.33 and 69 % progeny of C. cephalonica and O.surinamensis, resp.), While, wheat flour (zero) and basbousa flour were recorded the minimum AE %, 12.33 and 27.33 %, respectively. C. cephalonica and O.surinamensis caused highest weight loss (WL) % on wheat germ and corn flour (31.88 % 13.73 %), while, corn and basbousa flours were recorded the minimum of WL % (11.43 and 4.05 %) respectively., which the least preferred foodstuffs to C. cephalonica and O.surinamensis. In comparison between the growth index (GI) of different foodstuffs, our results showed that wheat germ was the most preferred by C. cephalonica and O.surinamensis, whereas, rice flour was the least preferred host. From results chemical analysis, there was a strong correlation between GI of C. cephalonica and O.surinamensis and chemical characters. This relationship was expected as a large carbohydrate, total protein, potassium and magnesium mounts. Our results provide suitable foodstuffs to mass rearing of C. cephalonica and O.surinamensis as the large scale production.