Survival rate of Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae): On different states of wheat and rye kernels previously infested by beetle pests

Filip Vukajlovic,Dubravka Radulovic,Dragana Predojevic,Snezana Pesic,Selena Milosevic

doi:10.5937/kgjsci1739201v

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to determine survival rate of Plodia interpunctella (Hübner, 1813), reared on different mechanical states of Vizija winter wheat cultivar and Raša winter rye cultivar, previously infested with different beetle pests. Wheat was previously infested with Rhyzopertha dominica, Sitophilus granarius, Oryzaephilus surinamensis and Cryptolestes ferrugineus, while rye was infested only with O. surinamensis. Kernels were tested in three different mechanical states: (A) whole undamaged kernels; (B) kernels already damaged by pests and (C) original storage kernels (mixture of B and C type). No P. interpunctella adult emerged on wheat kernels, while 36 adults developed on rye kernels. The highest abundance reached beetle species who fed with a mixture of kernels damaged by pests and whole undamaged kernels. Development and survival rate of five different storage insect pests depends on type of kernels and there exist significant survivorship correlations among them.

Highlights

Grain storage presents a closed man-made ecosystem where stored kernels are primary energy source
Pearson’s test was used to establish correlation among the number of emerged adult storage insect pests developed on original storage kernels (WC and RC assays). This experiment started with 1800 IMM eggs, divided on three different mechanical states of wheat and rye kernels
Survival rate of Plodia interpunctella in competition with beetles on wheat kernels Eighteen weeks since the beginning of the experiment, no IMM adult emerged in assays with wheat kernels (Tab. 1)

Summary

Introduction

Grain storage presents a closed man-made ecosystem where stored kernels are primary energy source. This source is fast utilized by pests, mainly insects, fungi and other organisms (SINHA, 1973). Typical primary pests are R. dominica, S. granarius, S. oryzae, S. zeamays, S. cerealella etc Secondary pests, such as Oryzaephilus spp., Tribolium spp., Cryptolestes spp. and Plodia interpunctella (Hübner, 1813) occur commonly on grain damaged in process of harvesting, transporting, handling and drying, or by other pre- or postharvest pests (REES, 2004; MASON and MCDONOUGH, 2012)

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