Control Of Stored Product Insect Pests Research Articles

Fabrication of Carum copticum essential oil-loaded chitosan nanoparticles and evaluation its insecticidal activity for controlling Rhyzopertha dominica and Tribolium confusum.

Plant essential oils (EOs) can be used as a feasible tool for insect pest control. Nanoparticle formulations of plant EOs can improve the efficiency and stability of EOs, as well as insecticidal potential. In this study, Carum copticum L. essential oil-loaded nanoparticles (OLNs) were prepared via an oil-in-water emulsion, followed by droplet solidiffication via ionic gelation using a cross-linker, sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP). The nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet and visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), laser light scattering (LS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, the insecticidal activity of C. copticum EO and OLNs was evaluated against Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae) and Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). In addition, their effectiveness was assessed on the progeny production of tested insect species. The loading efficiency ranged from 34.33 to 84.16% when the chitosan to EO weight ratio was 1:1.25 and 1:0.5, respectively. The loading efficiency decreased with increasing EO content in the nanoparticles. The OLN particles exhibited spherical shape. The particle size was in the range 120-223.6 nm and increased with the increase of EO to chitosan ratio. So that the largest mean particle size (223.6 nm) was reported in the 1:1.25 weight ratio of chitosan to the EO. The mortality percentage of R. dominica and T. confusum adults were 74 and 57% when exposed for 7 days to 2000 mg/kg of OLNs at the 1:1.25 weight ratio, while EO caused 62 and 44% mortality on both insect species, respectively. Therefore, OLNs can potentially improve the insecticidal activity of C. copticum EO and could be applied to facilitate control of stored-product insect pests.

Detection of Phosphine Resistance in Field Populations of Four Key Stored-Grain Insect Pests in Pakistan.

Simple SummaryThe resistance of coleopteran stored-product pests to phosphine fumigation is becoming a global phenomenon. However, there is limited literature available and a lack of knowledge on this issue in Pakistan. Thus, in the current study, we estimated the status of phosphine resistance among ten populations of Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae), Sitophilus granarius (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), originated from different regions of Pakistan. Laboratory-susceptible populations of all insect species were also considered in the tests. Concentration–response bioassays were conducted for each insect species. All of the tested populations of each species were found to be resistant to phosphine. However, they varied with regard to their levels of resistance. Overall, R. dominica exhibited the highest resistance level, followed by T. castaneum, T. granarium and S. granarius. Although phosphine is effective against several stored-product pests, the development of resistance may lead to failures in its application in Pakistan.In Pakistan, the control of stored-product insect pests mainly relies on the use of phosphine gas along with other control tactics. The aim of this study was to determine the level of phosphine resistance among ten differently located populations of the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae), the granary weevil, Sitophilus granarius (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and the khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). Laboratory-susceptible populations of all insect species were also considered in the experiments. Concentration–response bioassays were conducted for each species. All of the tested populations (10 out of 10) of each species were found to be resistant to phosphine, but varied in their level of resistance. Probit analysis estimated LC50 at 2.85, 1.90, 2.54 and 2.01 ppm for laboratory-susceptible populations of R. dominica, S. granarius, T. castaneum and T. granarium, respectively. Against R. dominica, the highest and lowest resistance levels were observed in the Rahim Yar Khan (LC50 at 360.90 ppm) and Rawalpindi (LC50 at 210.98 ppm) populations, respectively. These resistant populations were 126.67- and 74.02-fold more resistant than the laboratory population. The Multan and Lahore populations of S. granarius exhibited the maximum (LC50 at 122.81 ppm) and minimum (LC50 at 45.96 ppm) resistance levels, respectively, i.e., they were 64.63- and 24.18-fold more resistant than the laboratory population. The Layyah population of T. castaneum showed the maximum resistance level (LC50 at 305.89 ppm) while the lowest was observed in the Lahore population (LC50 at 186.52 ppm), corresponding to 120.42- and 73.43-fold more resistant than the laboratory population, respectively. Regarding T. granarium, the Layyah population showed the maximum resistance level (LC50 at 169.99 ppm) while the Lahore population showed the minimum resistance (LC50 at 74.50 ppm), i.e., they were 84.57- and 37.06-fold more resistant than the laboratory population, respectively. Overall, R. dominica presented the highest resistance level, followed by T. castaneum, T. granarium and S. granarius. The current study suggests that the application of phosphine may not be an adequate control strategy for the management of the above tested insect pests in Pakistan.

Exposure of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) females to pirimiphos-methyl alters the fitness of their progeny

Insecticidal treatment is a common practice for the control of stored-product insect pests. Most studies are focused on the direct effects of insecticides on target insects, while there are no data on the indirect effects on adults in terms of progeny fitness. This study deals with the effect of pirimiphos-methyl on adults of Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), investigating their exposure time cost to progeny fitness. For this purpose, females of T. castaneum were exposed for 1, 3, 8, 16, 24, and 72h to pirimiphos-methyl and progeny birth or death rates were calculated. The fecundity, as well as the survival of progeny, was affected by the parental exposure to the insecticide. When females were exposed for 1 and 3h to pirimiphos-methyl, the net reproductive rate of the progeny was 4.1 and 4.3 females/female, respectively, which did not statistically differ with the progeny in control treatment (6.3 females/female). Further exposure time to pirimiphos-methyl affected significantly the progeny net reproductive rate, where the lowest value was observed at the 72-h exposure time (0.97 females/female). The intrinsic rate of increase, as well as the finite rate of increase, did not differ between the progeny of the control treatment (0.029 females/female/day and 1.029, respectively) and the progeny of exposed females at 1h (0.021 females/female/day and 1.021, respectively) or 3h (0.023 females/female/day and 1.023, respectively). By increasing the time of exposure to pirimiphos-methyl, a detrimental effect to progeny fitness was revealed based on the values of the intrinsic and finite rate of increase. The lowest values of these parameters were observed at the 72-h exposure time (0.001 females/female/day and 1.000, respectively). The same trend was observed in the values of the doubling time. In contrast, the mean generation time did not statistically differ between control and all insecticide treatments. The fact that the exposure of parental females of T. castaneum to pirimiphos-methyl negatively affects the demographic parameters of their offspring production should be seriously taken into account when management strategies are applied against this notorious stored-product insect species since it could reduce the repeatedly insecticidal applications in storage facilities.

The Herbal Insecticides from Root Stock of Alocasia indica as Potential Sources for Control of Stored-Product Insect Pests

In the present study the insecticidal activity of organic extracts from root stock of Alocasia indica (Linn.) against three major important stored grain insect pest viz; rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae; the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica and the rust-red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum is reported. The fumigant toxicity of hexane extract shows LC50 value 108.4 μg/l for adult T. castaneum, 96.2 μg/l for S. oryzae and 84.6 μg/l for R. dominica, respectively and toxicity was species specific. A concentration of 300 μg/l for a period of 72 h exposure resulted in 100% mortality of mixed age culture of these three species. An extended exposure period of 72 h has increased the rate of mortality in all three species. Further the results confirm that there are no significant differences between seed germination of control and treated grains. The study proved that efficacy of Alocasia indica when extracted with hexane is more effective when compared with other type of solvent extractions. The probable use of this extract as a bio fumigant is here with discussed.

Fumigant activity of Illicium verum fruit extracts and their effects on the acetylcholinesterase and glutathione S-transferase activities in adult Sitophilus zeamais

The insecticidal activity of Illicium verum Hook. f. against Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky adults were identified, and the underlying mechanisms were studied. Extracts from I.verum fruits in methyl alcohol (MA), ethyl acetate (EA), and petroleum ether (PE) were tested by fumigation in a hermetic container to determine their toxicity. The effects of the three extracts on the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) of S. zeamais were determined in vivo. All extracts showed strong fumigant activity. The fumigant effects were enhanced with increased dosage and prolonged exposure time. 1.25, 2.50, 5.00, 10.00, and 20.0 mg/l doses of the MA, EA, and PE extracts caused the mortalities from 8.37 to 90.26 %, 21.81 to 95.89 %, and 15.84 to 92.57 %, respectively, at 72 h after treatment. Consequently, the most effective dose of the MA, EA, and PE extracts is the 20.0 mg/l. The LD50 of the MA, EA, and PE extracts at 72 h after treatment were 7.10, 3.93, and 4.55 mg/l, respectively. The activities of AChE and GSTs were notably inhibited by the three extracts, as compared with the control, with strong dose- and time-dependent effects. The inhibition strength of the three extracts on AChE and GSTs activities were in the following order: EA extract > PE extract ≥ MA extract. Therefore, I. verum extracts could be explored as novel natural fumigants for the future control of stored-product insect pests.

Validation of the 16S rDNA and COI DNA Barcoding Technique for Rapid Molecular Identification of Stored Product Psocids (Insecta: Psocodea: Liposcelididae)

Psocids are serious storage pests, and their control is hampered by the fact that different species respond differently to insecticides used for the control of stored-product insect pests. Additionally, psocids of genus Liposcelis that are commonly associated with stored-products are difficult to identify using morphological characteristics. The goal of this study was to validate molecular identification of stored-product psocids of genus Liposcelis based on 16S rDNA and cytochrome oxidase I (COI) DNA barcoding. Unidentified liposcelids (Liposcelis DK) imported from Denmark to China were compared with 14 population samples of seven common species (L. bostrychophila, L. brunnea, L. corrodens, L. decolor, L. entomophila, L. mendax, and L. paeta). The explored species (DK) liposcelids shared >98% sequence similarity for both the 16S rDNA and COI genes with the reference L. corrodens samples (98.32 and 98.94% for 16S rDNA and COI, respectively). A neighbor-joining tree revealed that the explored DK sample and the reference L. corrodens samples belong to the same clade. These molecular results were verified by morphological identification of DK specimens, facilitated by SEM microphotography. The DNA barcoding method and the neighbor-joining phylogenetic analyses indicated that both the 16S rDNA and COI genes were suitable for Liposcelis species identification. DNA barcoding has great potential for use in fast and accurate liposcelid identification.

Effectiveness of Sulfuryl Fluoride for Control of Different Life Stages of Stored-Product Psocids (Psocoptera)

With the phase-out and impending ban of methyl bromide, sulfuryl fluoride is among the most promising alternative fumigant insecticides for control of stored-product insect pests. It has been evaluated for control of several stored-product insect pests, but there are few data available on its efficacy for control of stored-product psocids (Psocoptera). We evaluated sulfuryl fluoride for control of different life stages of the psocids Liposcelis paeta Pearman, L. entomophila (Enderlein), L. bostrychophila Badonnel, L. decolor Pearman, and Lepinotus reticulatus Enderlein (Trogiidae) in 48-hr trials at 27.5 degrees C. Adults and nymphs were susceptible to sulfuryl fluoride. Complete (100%) adult and nymphal mortality was recorded at concentrations between 4 and 8 g/m3, except for L. decolor for which all adults were only killed at 24 g/m3. Eggs were tolerant to sulfuryl fluoride. Complete egg mortality was achieved at 24 and 72 g/m3 for L. reticulatus and L. decolor, respectively. Survival of L. paeta eggs was recorded even after exposure to 96 g/m3. Given that the highest United States label concentration for sulfuryl fluoride for a 48-h exposure interval is 31.25 g/m3, our study indicates that high doses and/or longer exposures are needed for complete mortality of eggs of L. decolor and L. paeta. Moreover, the present work suggests that there is considerable variation in efficacy of sulfuryl fluoride for control of different psocid species.

Abiotic and biotic factors affect efficacy of chlorfenapyr for control of stored-product insect pests.

Laboratory bioassays were conducted to assess pyrole chlorfenapyr as a potential grain protectant against adults of Rhyzopertha dominica, Sitophilus oryzae, Prostephanus truncatus, Tribolium confusum, and Liposcelis bostrychophila. Factors such as dose (0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5, and 10 ppm), exposure interval (7 and 14 days), temperature (20, 25, and 30°C), relative humidity (RH; 55 and 75%), and commodity (wheat, maize, barley, and paddy rice) were evaluated. Progeny production was assessed after 74 days of exposure. For L. bostrychophila and T. confusum the increase of dose increased mortality. After 7 or 14 days of exposure, mortality was low at doses of ≤ 1 ppm and did not exceed 23 or 36%, respectively, for L. bostrychophila or 13 or 58%, respectively, for T. confusum. After 14 days of exposure, mortality of S. oryzae at 30°C and 75% RH was 82.2%. Mortality of P. truncatus was considerably higher than that of the other species. At 0.5 ppm, mortality exceeded 81% after 7 days of exposure and 91% after 14 days of exposure. Progeny production of L. bostrychophila was extremely high. Very few progeny were found for T. confusum. For S. oryzae, offspring emergence was high, except at 20°C and 55% RH. For P. truncatus, progeny production in the treated maize was not avoided, even at 10 ppm. In the case of S. oryzae, at 0.1 ppm and after 14 days of exposure, mortality in wheat was higher than in the other three commodities. For R. dominica, mortality was low at 0.1 and 1 ppm for paddy rice but reached 74.4% in barley after 14 days of exposure. For T. confusum, mortality was low at 0.1 and 1 ppm in all commodities. For progeny production counts, for S. oryzae or R. dominica, adult emergence was higher in paddy rice than in the other three commodities. Finally, overall T. confusum progeny was low. Chlorfenapyr efficacy varied remarkably among the combinations tested, and it may be a viable grain protectant in combination with other insecticides.

Sequential sampling plans for classifying Lasioderma serricorne (F.) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) status in a cigarette factory on the Cape Verde islands

Lasioderma serricorne (F.) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) is the most serious pest in stored tobacco on the Cape Verde islands. The development of appropriate sampling plans is needed for cost-effective control of stored-product insect pests. Sequential sampling plans for classifying pest status help the manager to decide whether or not to implement control measures, with a minimum risk of error using few sampling units. From September 1998 to February 2001, a sampling plan, using sex pheromone traps, was implemented in the cigarette factory in Cape Verde, to assist management decision-making based on an empirical threshold of 10 insects/week/trap and to make inferences about the pest population, such as its density and spatial pattern. From the results obtained a sequential sampling plan was developed for classifying the pest status of L. serricorne based on complete counts from insects caught in the pheromone traps. Two sequential sampling techniques were used: the sequential probability ratio test (SPRT), as the adult population followed the binomial negative distribution, and Iwao's confidence interval method. It was shown that, using SPRT or Iwao's methods, managers can make decisions using six and 13 traps, respectively, with a minimum risk of incorrect assessment.

Computer Model for Simulating Population Dynamics of the PredatorLyctocoris campestris(Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) in Stored Shelled Corn

A computer model for simulating population dynamics of Lyctocoris campestris (F.), a predator of stored-product insects, was developed using data from the literature and newly collected data for adult longevity and fecundity. Immature development time and survival, adult longevity, fecundity, and cannibalism were simulated. The model was validated at ambient environmental conditions during three seasons in Wisconsin. The model accurately simulated development of the predator feeding on larvae of the Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), in the validation studies. The model will be useful in optimizing mass-rearing and augmentative releases of this predator for biological control of stored-product insect pests.

Chemical model for phosphine-induced lipid peroxidation

Phosphine (PH 3 ) from hydrolysis of metal phosphides is highly toxic and is important for control of stored-product insect pests (AlP, Mg 3 P 2 ) and rodents (Zn 3 P 2 ). This fumigant inhibits respiration and induces lipid peroxidation in insects and mammals. PH 3 (from Mg 3 P 2 ) and H 2 O 2 , acting for 15 min in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4), oxidized cod liver oil (high in unsaturated lipids) to malondialdehyde. Both Mg 3 P 2 and H 2 O 2 were found to be necessary for this lipid peroxidation, which under optimal conditions produced a seven-fold increase in malondialdehyde relative to basal levels in cod liver oil with H 2 O 2 but no PH 3 . Under the same conditions, 15-, 9- and 2-fold increases in malondialdehyde were obtained from ethyl arachidonate, methyl linoleate and methyl oleate. Small amounts of hydroxyl radical from PH 3 /H 2 O 2 were trapped with salicylic acid. Reactive oxygen species for lipid peroxidation may therefore be derived from direct reaction of PH 3 with H 2 O 2 as an alternative hypothesis to their respiration-linked formation.