Flour Beetle Tribolium Castaneum Research Articles

Carcass Scavenging Relaxes Chemical-Driven Female Interference Competition in Flour Beetles

AbstractFemale-female nonsexual interference competition is a major fitness determinant of biased sex ratio groups with high female density. What strategies can females use to overcome the negative impact of this competition? To answer this question we used flour beetles (Tribolium castaneum) where competing females from female-biased groups were already known to suppress each other's fecundity by secreting toxic quinones from their stink glands, indicating a unique chemical-driven interference competition. Surprisingly, increasing resources did not alleviate these fitness costs. Females also did not disperse more from the site of interference competition. Hence, the competition was influenced by neither the total resource availability nor the lack of opportunity to avoid chemical interference. Instead, protein sequestered via scavenging of nutrient-rich carcasses relaxed female competition by increasing fecundity and reducing the quinone content. Finally, stink gland components themselves triggered carcass scavenging and increased fecundity, indicating the possibility of a novel chemical-driven feedback loop to reduce the competition. In the present work we provide the rare analyses where multiple competing hypotheses were jointly tested to establish carcass scavenging as an important potential strategy to overcome the fitness costs of intrasexual female interference competition.

Developmental O‐glycan profile analysis shows pentasaccharide mucin‐type O‐glycans are linked with pupation of Tribolium castaneum

Eukaryotic cells can decorate their proteins with carbohydrate structures or glycans, significantly affecting the properties and activities of these proteins. Despite the importance of protein glycosylation in numerous biological processes, our knowledge of this modification in insects is far from complete. While N-glycosylation is the most studied, the study of O-glycans in insects is still very fragmentary and these studies are limited to a specific developmental stage or a specific tissue. In this article, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometry (MS) technology was used to analyze the O-glycan profile for the different developmental stages of egg, larva, pupa, and adult of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, an important insect model and pest worldwide. The results on the O-glycan profile showed that the mucin-type glycans dominate the O-glycome of the red flour beetle. Interestingly, some of the more complex mucin-type O-glycans, such as a tetra- (O-GalNAcGalGlcAGalNAc) and pentasaccharide O-glycan (O-GalNAc(GalGlcA)GalNAcGlcA), were highly abundant during the pupa stage, the intermediate stage between larval and adult stage in holometabolous insects, demonstrating that insect metamorphosis is accompanied with a change in the insect O-glycan profile. Together with the N-glycan profile, the current data are a foundation to better understand the role of protein glycosylation in the development of insects.

Entomotoxicity of TiO2 and ZnO Nanoparticles Against Adults Tribolium Castaneum (Herbest) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

The red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum is one of the common pests of stored grains distributed worldwide. In this study, testing the effect of TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles as insecticides on adults of T. castaneum was achieved. Results showed that the high concentration of TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles recorded high cumulative mortality of the adult insects after exposure time 1, 3, and 5 days from treatments 15.30, 23.57, and 29.85% respectively of TiO2 nanoparticles compared with 20.42, 27.08, and 33.96 % respectively of ZnO nanoparticles. The result showed that TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles are effective in controlling and can be introduced in the future in integrated pest management of T. castaneum.

Efficacy of Entomopathogenic Nematodes Against Three Species of Stored Product Insects

Two specis of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), Steinernema riobravi, symbolized by Sr, and Heterorabditisbacterophora, symbolized by Hb,were tested by using five concentrations: 125, 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 an infectiousphase, ml of the type Sr and four concentrations of 500, 1000, 2000 and 3000infectious phase/mlof the type Hb against Cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculates,Khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium, and Rust red flour beetle Triboliumcastaneum, using three exposure times of 24, 48, and 72 h. The mortalityrate increased withincreasing in concentrations and the exposure period. The results showed that the highest mortality rate was 16.67 whole insects recorded for the 2000 infectious phase/ml with Sr nematodes after 72 hours post- treatment ofC. maculatus. The results showed that the highest rate mortality,which is 20 larvae, was recorded for the infectious phase dose of the genus nematode (Hb), all of which are 500, 1000, 2000 and 3000 gastricphase/ml, and for all exposure periods used between 24 hours and up to 72 hours against the larvae of the T. granarium. The results showed that the highest rate of mortality 10.00 whole insects was recorded for the dose of 3000 Infectious stage/ml and at the exposure time 72 hours, while the lowest rate for this mortality of 1.33 adult insects for rusty flour beetle was recorded for the dose of 500 infectious stage/ml and for the exposure time only 24 hours. The resultsindicated that mortality rate was increasing against any increase in both the exposure time and the dose of nematodes of the genus Hb.

Eco-friendly Approach for the Management of Rust Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) on Wheat Grains

Background: Wheat is the major cereal crop occupying an eminent place in economy of our country. About 10-15% wheat is lost annually due to ravages of stored grains pests during storage. The principal stored grain pest of wheat is red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) which is a cosmopolitan and most serious pest. Methods: The present investigation was carried out in the Entomology Laboratory during 2020-2021, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal to investigate eco-friendly management of rust red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum on wheat grains by using different inert materials viz., paddy straw, paddy husk ash, cow dung ash, coal ash, sand dust, saw dust, boric acid and one untreated control with the dose of 1.5 gm/100 gm of wheat grains. Result: The results showed that the boric acid exhibited 100 per cent adult mortality of T. castaneum within 5 days after treatment. Afterwards the next best treatment was cow dung ash, coal ash shows the very effective in treatment in the adult emergence and grain weight loss. Whereas, saw dust shows the least effective treatment in the controlling adult emergence.

Long noncoding RNAs: Emerging players regulating innate immune memory in the red flour beetle

A variety of strategies have been evolved to eradicate invading microbes. Phagocytes have developed in vertebrates and invertebrates to confer a non-specific immune response to pathogens. Besides, vertebrates have evolved lymphocytes to develop memory cells that can quickly respond upon the next exposure to the same pathogen. Although lymphocytes are absent in invertebrates, historical evidence, dating back to the 1920s, indicated the presence of immune memory in invertebrates. However, the concept of long-lasting non-specific defense predominated until recent evidence has been introduced in the first decade of the 21st century. Although more evidence has been introduced later, the molecular mechanism underlying the innate immune memory is largely undefined in invertebrates. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have demonstrated a role in regulating various biological processes, including immune response. In this review, we will explore the potential role of lncRNAs in developing innate immune memory in the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum).

Deep Conservation of Hid-Like RHG Gene Family Homologs in Winged Insects Revealed by "Taxon Hopping" BLAST.

Together with sickle (skl), the Drosophila paralogs reaper (rpr), head involution defective (hid), and grim (RHG) control a critical switch in the induction of programmed cell death. RHG homologs have been identified in other dipteran and lepidopteran species but not beyond. Revisiting this issue with a "taxon hopping" BLAST search strategy in current genome and transcriptome resources, I detected high confidence RHG homologs in Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, and Dictyoptera. Analyses of gene structure and protein sequence conservation revealed aconserved splicing pattern and highly conserved amino acid residues at both the N- and C-terminal ends that identify hid as the most ancestrally organized RHG gene family member in Drosophila. hid-like RHG homologs were also detected in mosquitoes, redefining their michelob_x (mx) genes as an expansion of derived RHG homologs. Only singleton homologs were detected in the large majority of other insect clades. Lepidopteran RHG homologs, however, stand out by producing an evolutionarily-derived splice isoform, identified in previous work, in addition to the newly detected hid-like isoform. Exceptional sequence diversification of select RHG homologs at the family- and genus-level explain their previous elusiveness in important insect genome model species like the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum and the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum. Combined, these findings expand the minimal age of the RHG gene family by about 100 million years and open new avenues for molecular cell death studies in insects.

Mutually Exclusive Expression of Closely Related Odorant-Binding Proteins 9A and 9B in the Antenna of the Red Flour Beetle Tribolium castaneum.

Olfaction is crucial for insects to find food sources, mates, and oviposition sites. One of the initial steps in olfaction is facilitated by odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) that translocate hydrophobic odorants through the aqueous olfactory sensilla lymph to the odorant receptor complexes embedded in the dendritic membrane of olfactory sensory neurons. The Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) OBPs encoded by the gene pair TcasOBP9A and TcasOBP9B represent the closest homologs to the well-studied Drosophila melanogaster OBP Lush (DmelOBP76a), which mediates pheromone reception. By an electroantennographic analysis, we can show that these two OBPs are not pheromone-specific but rather enhance the detection of a broad spectrum of organic volatiles. Both OBPs are expressed in the antenna but in a mutually exclusive pattern, despite their homology and gene pair character by chromosomal location. A phylogenetic analysis indicates that this gene pair arose at the base of the Cucujiformia, which dates the gene duplication event to about 200 Mio years ago. Therefore, this gene pair is not the result of a recent gene duplication event and the high sequence conservation in spite of their expression in different sensilla is potentially the result of a common function as co-OBPs.

Abundance and diversity of insects associated with stored grains and tamarind in Nigeria

Detailed information on insect pests of stored grains in Nigeria is lacking. A two-year survey was conducted to determine the species composition and abundance of insects associated with maize, millet, rice, sorghum and tamarind in eighteen locations across five agro-ecological zones in Nigeria. Sixteen coleopteran, lepidopteran and hymenopteran species were associated with stored products, with high species richness on cereal grains but low species richness on tamarind. Most of these insects are polyphagous on cereal grains, whereas the tamarind weevil Sitophilus linearis (Herbst, 1797) (Curculionidae), and Caryedon serratus (Oliver, 1790) (Chrysomelidae) were found only on tamarind in this study. The maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky, 1758), rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (Linneaus, 1763), lesser grain borer Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius, 1792) (Bostrichidae), rusty grain beetle Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens, 1831) (Laemophloeidae) and red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst, 1797) (Tenebrionidae) were most abundant on stored grains. The tamarind weevil, C. serratus and the sawtoothed grain beetle Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Linneaus, 1758) (Silvanidae) were most abundant on tamarind. The hymenopterans Theocolax elegans (Westwood, 1874) (Pteromalidae), Anisopteromalus calandrae (Howard, 1881) (Pteromalidae) and Cephalonomia waterstoni (Gahan, 1931) (Bethylidae) were the dominant parasitoids of larvae and pupae of the storage pests. Simpson index of diversity of insect species across locations ranged from low (0.63) to high (0.89).

Activation of EGFR signaling by Tc-Vein and Tc-Spitz regulates the metamorphic transition in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum

Animal development relies on a sequence of specific stages that allow the formation of adult structures with a determined size. In general, juvenile stages are dedicated mainly to growth, whereas last stages are devoted predominantly to the maturation of adult structures. In holometabolous insects, metamorphosis marks the end of the growth period as the animals stops feeding and initiate the final differentiation of the tissues. This transition is controlled by the steroid hormone ecdysone produced in the prothoracic gland. In Drosophila melanogaster different signals have been shown to regulate the production of ecdysone, such as PTTH/Torso, TGFß and Egfr signaling. However, to which extent the roles of these signals are conserved remains unknown. Here, we study the role of Egfr signaling in post-embryonic development of the basal holometabolous beetle Tribolium castaneum. We show that Tc-Egfr and Tc-pointed are required to induced a proper larval-pupal transition through the control of the expression of ecdysone biosynthetic genes. Furthermore, we identified an additional Tc-Egfr ligand in the Tribolium genome, the neuregulin-like protein Tc-Vein (Tc-Vn), which contributes to induce larval-pupal transition together with Tc-Spitz (Tc-Spi). Interestingly, we found that in addition to the redundant role in the control of pupa formation, each ligand possesses different functions in organ morphogenesis. Whereas Tc-Spi acts as the main ligand in urogomphi and gin traps, Tc-Vn is required in wings and elytra. Altogether, our findings show that in Tribolium, post-embryonic Tc-Egfr signaling activation depends on the presence of two ligands and that its role in metamorphic transition is conserved in holometabolous insects.

Fumigant activity of pyrolysis fractions derived from waste licuri's pericarp (Syagrus coronata - Arecaceae) in the control the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

The large production of waste and the destination for its disposal is one of the biggest problems faced by the agro-industrial sector. Furthermore, in food production, the control of insect pests during grain storage causes great damage. Scientific research evaluating the effectiveness of pyrolysis products in insects is recent and still little studied. In this work, the aqueous phase (LAF) and bio-oil produced from the residues of licuri have been investigated which insecticidal effect. Licuri shell was subjected to slow pyrolysis carried out in a batch reactor at 400 °C, the LAF and bio-oil were collected from the condenser. The LAF was collected, generating a total of five fractions. The LAF1 was the most toxic fraction to Tribolium castaneum on fumigation assay, reaching 92.5% mortality. Analyses of these fractions by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) identified a higher content of acetic acid, furan derivates, and other compounds, including oxo-acetic acid, methyl acetate, furfural, 2-methyl furan, 2,5-dimethylfuran, and l-alanine ethylamine. With the result of this study, it may be concluded that LAF is a very promising source of fumigant against an important pest of stored grains, therefore being a sustainable source to produce a biopesticide.

Evaluation of different control methods on the rust flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

The presented study aimed to evaluate the different control methods of the rusty flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). The experi-ments were conducted to evaluate the effi-ciency of a chemical pesticide (Mala-thion), biopesticide (Tracer 24% SC), plant oil (Lemongrass oil), plant extraction (Ac-etone extracts from Rosemary), powder (Diatomaceous earth) and modified At-mosphere (argon gas). Mortality percent-age increased with increase of exposure times at all tested concentrations. The tox-icity effect of different treatments against adults of T. castaneum at the LC50 after 7 days post-treatment at 30±1°C could be ar-ranged in descending order as follows: Malathion, Tracer 24% and lemongrass oil, while, acetone extracts from Rosemary and diatomaceous earth (DE) were the least effective. The LT50 values against the adult stage of T. castaneum were 19.99, 2.33 and 4.86 hr. for Argon 100, 80 and 60%, respectively. In order to avoid the disadvantages of using chemical insecti-cides such as malathion, it is recommended to use other more safe control methods for the environment as Tracer 24% or lemongrass oil or Argon gas.

Population dynamics of red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum (Herbst)) under different temperatures and patch sizes

Population dynamics of red flour beetles, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), was determined using three different sizes of grain patch (bulk) at different temperature profiles. Grain patches were 0.03 kg, 2 kg, and 14 kg of wheat with 14.5% moisture content (wb). The temperature profiles tested were constant temperatures of 21, 25, 30, 35 °C, and incrementally decreased or increased temperatures (T-decrease (Td) and T-increase (Ti)). Every 28 d up to 168 d, the live and dead adults were separated from the wheat and their numbers counted. At Td, adults were separated and counted every 28 d during the first 140 d, then one last time 70 d later. After separating and counting, these adults were discarded and the wheat, which contained immature stages, was incubated at 30 °C. Four weeks later the emerged adults (referred to as “offspring”) were counted. The number of both adults and offspring showed great variation among temperatures at the same storage time and the same patch size. The peak number and density of insects also showed variation among different temperatures and patch sizes. Peak live adult density was the highest in the small patches. The peak live adult densities were 300 ± 50 at 21 °C, 673 ± 118 at 25 °C, 689 ± 48 at 30 °C, 1100 ± 150 at 35 °C, 1150 ± 150 at Td, and 1133 ± 94 adults/kg at Ti. The offspring density at 35 °C was higher than that at other temperatures in the small patches. Even though many factors and their interaction influenced population dynamics of T. castaneum, the number of insects was mainly influenced by temperature at the same patch size, while large patch size could provide more room for insects to multiply.

Metamorphic development of the olfactory system in the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum, Herbst)

BackgroundInsects depend on their olfactory sense as a vital system. Olfactory cues are processed by a rather complex system and translated into various types of behavior. In holometabolous insects like the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, the nervous system typically undergoes considerable remodeling during metamorphosis. This process includes the integration of new neurons, as well as remodeling and elimination of larval neurons.ResultsWe find that the sensory neurons of the larval antennae are reused in the adult antennae. Further, the larval antennal lobe gets transformed into its adult version. The beetle’s larval antennal lobe is already glomerularly structured, but its glomeruli dissolve in the last larval stage. However, the axons of the olfactory sensory neurons remain within the antennal lobe volume. The glomeruli of the adult antennal lobe then form from mid-metamorphosis independently of the presence of a functional OR/Orco complex but mature dependent on the latter during a postmetamorphic phase.ConclusionsWe provide insights into the metamorphic development of the red flour beetle’s olfactory system and compared it to data on Drosophila melanogaster, Manduca sexta, and Apis mellifera. The comparison revealed that some aspects, such as the formation of the antennal lobe’s adult glomeruli at mid-metamorphosis, are common, while others like the development of sensory appendages or the role of Orco seemingly differ.

The Attraction of Stored Grain Pests Toward Various Colour Surfaces

Colour vision is common phenomenon in living animals, but varies in insect species, depending on their vision sensitivity and photoreceptors involved. The sensitivity of the photoreceptor is determined through the absorption of visual colour pigments expressed. Photoreceptors are involved in filtering pigments, transverse wavelength, retinal image and colour signals. We have evaluated the colour attraction of two important stored grains insects, Red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum H) and Pulse beetle (Callosobruchus chinensis L) to determine their visual sensitivity toward various colour surfaces. The data was recorded after 24hrs of releasing the insects in a chamber in which various colour surfaces were provided. The results showed that the T. castaneum was highly attracted toward green colour with maximum (17.3%) and (8.7%) of insects observed outside and inside the bags respectively. Whereas, minimum (4.3%) and (3.0%) T. castaneum found outside and inside the blue colour bags respectively. Similarly, C. chinensis was greatly attracted toward blue colour with the maximum (16.0%) and (7.7%) insects found attached outside and inside the bags respectively. Whereas, minimum (9.0%) and (2.0%) C. chinensis were recorded outside and inside the black colour bags respectively.

A genome-wide identification and analysis of the homeobox genes in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae).

The homeobox family is a large and diverse superclass of genes, many of which act as transcription factors that play important roles in tissue differentiation and embryogenesis in animals. The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, is the most destructive pest of rice in Asia, and high fecundity contributes significantly to its ecological success in natural and agricultural habits. Here, we identified 94 homeobox genes in BPH, which could be divided into 75 gene families and 9 classes. This number is comparable to the number of homeobox genes found in the honeybee Apis mellifera, but is slightly less than in Drosophila or the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. A spatio-temporal analysis indicated that most BPH homeobox genes were expressed in a development and tissue-specific manner, of which 21 genes were highly expressed in ovaries. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated functional assay showed that 22 homeobox genes were important for nymph development and the nymph to adult transition, whereas 67 genes were dispensable during this process. Fecundity assay showed that knockdown of 13 ovary-biased genes (zfh1, schlank, abd-A, Lim3_2, Lmxb, Prop, ap_1, Not, lab, Hmx, vis, Pknox, and C15) led to the reproductive defect. This is the first comprehensive investigation into homeobox genes in a hemipteran insect and thus helps us to understand the functional significance of homeobox genes in insect reproduction.

Euphorbia bupleuroides Desf. latex as biopesticide against the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum [Herbst, 1797]) and khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium Everts, 1898)

Laboratory evaluation of Euphorbia bupleuroides latex as biopesticide against the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) and khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium) were evaluated at ambient temperature. The insecticidal activity of latex was determined by direct contact application. Different concentrations were prepared by dilution of 2.5, 5.0, 7.0 and 10.0 µl of latex into 0.1 ml acetone. 1 µl was pumped regularly in the thorax of different insects. The latex of E. bupleuroides showed insecticidal activity against T. granarium and T. castaneum. High levels of mortality were associated with the increase in the concentration and time of exposure as well. T. granarium adults are generally more prone to latex insecticidal effects than T. castaneum adults. After 6 days of exposure to E. bupleuroides latex, the LC50 recorded was 14.12 µl for T. granarium adults, and 14.7 µl for T. castaneum. LC90 numbers, on the other hand, were 38.8 µl for the former, and 51.44 µl for the latter.

INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT COLOURS OF LIGHTS ON DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES OF RED FLOUR BEETLE (TRIBOLIUM CASTANEUM) AND ADULTS PHOTOTAXIS BEHAVIOR

Red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) is the major insect pest of store grain, and its single larvae can attack 88 grains during its life which leads to a considerable loss of quality and viability of grain. Therefore, to manage this insect pest present research was designed to check the effects of different colours of lights on the developmental stages of red flour beetle and their attraction on lights. Six (White, Yellow, Red, Green, Blue and Black) colours of light were used in the present experiment at 30±2oC and 60%±10% relative humidity (RH). Results revealed that a longer incubation period (4.17±0.18, less hatching (78.66±0.50%) and highest mortality (21.34±1.11%) of T. castaneum eggs were observed on blue light, while a short incubation period (3.03±0.51), highest hatching (89.99±1.92%) and lowest mortality (10.01±0.22%) were observed on white colour of light. However, a longer duration (32.01±0.15, 12.33±0.31) and maximum (28.10±2.50 ,14.66±0.52) mortality of T. castaneum was found in larval and pupae stages on blue colour of light, while a short duration (21.27±0.27, 7.33±0.13) and minimum (8.30±2.5, 8.00±0.65) larval and pupal mortality (%) were seen by red and yellow colour of lights. Similarly, an adult’s longevity significantly reduced (48.33±1.76) when beetles were exposed on blue light, whereas a significant (62.33±1.66) increase in adult longevity was found on white colour of light. A highest (33.33±0.56) attraction of red flour beetle was found on red colour of light, whereas, a lowest attraction was observed on blue (6.00±0.85) and black (10.00±1.55) colours of lights.

Apparent thermal death kinetics of adult red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) in stored canola (Brassica napus L.) seeds using a pilot-scale 50-Ω radio frequency (RF) heating system

Adult Tribolium castaneum infesting canola seeds at 9% moisture content were treated using a 50-Ω radio frequency heating system and the thermal mortalities of the insects were determined. The infested seeds were treated at temperatures of 24–65 °C with radiofrequency (RF) heating power at 3 kW, 5 kW, and 7 kW. More than 80% of the insects were killed at 65 °C at all the three power levels. The survival rate of the adult T. castaneum decreased with temperature and RF power level. The effect of selective heating on mortality of insects increased at the higher RF powers. An inverse simulation was used to estimate the kinetic parameters of thermal death in adult T. castaneum. The thermal kinetic models developed in this study were solved using the 4th order Runge-Kutta method on a MATLAB platform. The thermal death kinetics for adult T. castaneum followed the 1st order reaction with Ea of 97.50 kJ/mol and k0 of 6.5 × 1013. The lethal time (LTs) calculated using the thermal death kinetic model developed in the study agreed well with the LTs determined experimentally.

The population of red flour beetle (Tribolium casteneum) imago and crude protein of rice bran with an addition of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) flour

Rice bran is an agricultural waste that is widely used as animal feed because it is cheap and easy to obtain. The main obstacle to using rice bran is the damage during storage, especially its protein content due to the presence and growth of insects such as the Red Flour Beetle (Tribolium castaneum). Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is a plant often used as a natural insecticide. The objective of this study was to determine the ability of Lemongrass to inhibit the growth of the Red Flour Beetle and maintain protein content in rice bran during storage. This study was performed according to a completely randomized design with five treatments and four replications. Treatments consisted of P0: rice bran, P1: rice bran infected with a beetle, P2: rice bran infected with beetle + 1% lemongrass flour, P3: rice bran infected with beetle + 2% lemongrass flour, and P4: rice bran infected with beetle + 3% lemongrass flour. The results showed that the use of Lemongrass flour (Cymbopogon citratus) had a significant effect (P<0.05) on lowering the population of Tribolium casteneum imago, while crude protein content had no significant effect. From this study, it can be concluded that the addition of lemongrass flour can reduce the population of Tribolium caestaneum and maintain the crude protein content of rice bran during storage.