Ephestia Elutella Research Articles

Temperature Effect on the Growth and Development of Habrobracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Reared on Ephestia elutella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Larvae.

Augmentative release of parasitoids has been an important component of integrated insect management for stored product protection. Understanding the effect of different temperatures on the growth and development of parasitoids is in favor of mass rearing of parasitoids. Habrobracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a highly cosmopolitan, gregarious ecto-parasitoid of a variety of Lepidopterous larvae. Thus, the growth and development of H. hebetor reared on Ephestia elutella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae were investigated at 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C. Habrobracon hebetor could complete growth and development, and the developmental duration decreased with increasing temperature at 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C. The development threshold temperatures of H. hebetor eggs, larvae, pupae, and egg-to-adult stages were 13.89, 6.39, 9.24, and 9.29 °C, and the effective accumulated temperatures were 23.33, 46.40, 142.68, and 240.31 °C·d, respectively. The total number of eggs laid by H. hebetor, the hatching rate of H. hebetor eggs, and the percentage of female offspring reached the maximum of 192.39, 83.89%, and 74.04% at 30 °C, respectively. There was no significant difference in pupal survival rate in the temperature range of 15 °C to 35 °C. At 30 °C, the pre-oviposition duration of H. hebetor was the shortest (0.87 d). Therefore, the optimal rearing temperature of H. hebetor was 30 °C. The present results are useful for the large-scale rearing of H. hebetor using E. elutella larvae as hosts and effectively implementing the biological control of stored-product insects.

Analyzing the evolution of insect TMED gene and the expression pattern of silkworm TMED gene

Transmembrane emp24 domain (TMED) gene is closely related to immune response, signal transduction, growth and disease development in mammals. However, only the Drosophila TMED gene has been reported on insects. We identified the TMED family genes of silkworm, Tribolium castaneum, tobacco moth and Italian bee from their genomes, and found that the TMED family gene composition patterns of one α-class, one β-class, one δ-class and several γ-classes arose in the common ancestor of pre-divergent Hymenoptera insects, while the composition of Drosophila TMED family members has evolved in a unique pattern. Insect TMED family γ-class genes have evolved rapidly, diverging into three separate subclasses, TMED6-like, TMED5-like and TMED3-like. The TMED5-like gene was lost in Hymenoptera, duplicated in the ancestors of Lepidoptera and duplicated in Drosophila. Insect TMED protein not only has typical structural characteristics of TMED, but also has obvious signal peptide. There are seven TMED genes in silkworm, distributed in six chromosomes. One of seven is single exon and others are multi-exons. The complete open reading frame (ORF) sequences of seven TMED genes of silkworm were cloned from larval tissues and registered in GenBank database. BmTMED1, BmTMED2 and BmTMED6 were expressed in all stages and tissues of the silkworm, and all genes were expressed in the 4th and 5th instar and silk gland of the silkworm. The present study revealed the composition pattern of TMED family members, their γ class differentiation and their evolutionary history, providing a basis for further studies on TMED genes in silkworm and other insects.

Genomic analyses provide insights into the genome evolution and environmental adaptation of the tobacco moth Ephestia elutella.

Ephestia elutella is a major pest responsible for significant damage to stored tobacco over many years. Here, we conduct a comparative genomic analysis on this pest, aiming to explore the genetic bases of environmental adaptation of this species. We find gene families associated with nutrient metabolism, detoxification, antioxidant defense and gustatory receptors are expanded in the E. elutella genome. Detailed phylogenetic analysis of P450 genes further reveals obvious duplications in the CYP3 clan in E. elutella compared to the closely related species, the Indianmeal moth Plodia interpunctella. We also identify 229 rapidly evolving genes and 207 positively selected genes in E. elutella, respectively, and highlight two positively selected heat shock protein 40 (Hsp40) genes. In addition, we find a number of species-specific genes related to diverse biological processes, such as mitochondria biology and development. These findings advance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying processes of environmental adaptation on E. elutella and will enable the development of novel pest management strategies.

Adverse impacts of development on the deltamethrin-exposed host Ephestia elutella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on population parameters of Habrobracon hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a widely distributed parasitoid that can be used to control numerous lepidopteran pests including Ephestia elutella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The present study was aimed to evaluate the indirect impacts of deltamethrin on the life table parameters and the paralysis rate parameters of H. hebetor using the age-stage, two-sex life table method under laboratory conditions. The results indicated that the preadult survival rate of H. hebetor was significantly reduced (with LC5 and LC10 values of 0.41 and 0.49, respectively) in insecticide-treated populations. Similarly, after low-concentration (LC5 and LC10) treatments with the insecticide, the values of three important life table parameters (i.e., intrinsic rate of increase [r], finite rate of increase [λ], and net reproductive rate [R0]), and two major paralysis rate parameters (i.e., net paralysis rate [C0], and finite paralysis rate [ω]) of H. hebetor were significantly decreased compared to the control group. However, these parameters were not significantly different between the LC5 and LC10 treatment groups. Our results demonstrated that low lethal concentrations of deltamethrin can significantly depress the performance of H. hebetor. In order to establish an effective integrated pest management program to control E. elutella, it will be necessary to determine the adverse effects of deltamethrin on H. hebetor under warehouse conditions.

Efficacy of Nets Coated with Different Concentrations of Alpha-Cypermethrin against Two Major Pests of Stored Tobacco

In the present study, we examined the insecticidal effect of Carifend® (BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany; 163.2 mg m−2), an alpha-cypermethrin-coated polyester net, as well as Carifend-like nets containing different rates of alpha-cypermethrin, specifically 10, 30, 80, and 325 mg m−2, against two major stored tobacco insect pests, i.e., Lasioderma serricorne (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) and Ephestia elutella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The nets were glued at the bottom of plastic Petri dishes, and adults of L. serricorne and E. elutella were exposed to the nets for different exposure times (e.g., 1, 5, 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min, as well as 12 and 24 h). After each exposure interval, insect mortality was recorded, whereas after the final evaluation, alive individuals were transferred to untreated dishes, and delayed mortality was recorded after an additional period of 1, 3, 5, and 7 d. Based on our results, efficient control of both insect species was achieved with all nets, even the one containing a lower concentration of alpha-cypermethrin (10 mg m−2). High mortality rates were recorded for all treatments, indicating that even short exposure of adults of both tested species to the alpha-cypermethrin-coated nets tested can lead to mortality. For instance, at 30 mg m−2, mortality of E. elutella reached 40% 1 d after exposure for 30 min. Moreover, at the highest concentration (325 mg m−2), mortality reached 70% and 99% 7 d post exposure for 24 h of L. serricorne and E. elutella, respectively. Based on these data, Carifend®, as well as the rest of the Carifend-like nets tested, can be used as an alternative insecticide method for the control of two major stored tobacco insect species, i.e., L. serricorne and E. elutella. Insecticide treated nets can be used in areas in which fumigants and contact insecticides are not accessible.

Effects of Balanite (Balanites aegyptiaca) and Neem (Azadirachta indica) Oils against the Tropical Warehouse Moth (Ephestia cautella) in Stored Maize

Ephestia cautella (Walker) is an important storage pest of maize. The control of this insect relies heavily on the use of synthetic insecticides. This leads to environmental hazards, toxicity to non-target organisms and development of resistant strains of insect pests. Therefore, in this study laboratory bioassays were conducted by treating 100 g of maize grains with different concentrations of neem and desert date oils (10, 15, 20 and 25 ml/l) and Dichlorvos (DDVP) (10 ml/l) as standard reference product. Data were collected on contact toxicity by grain treatment, effects on progeny production, grain damage, weight loss, germination and palatability test. The persistence of the oils and DDVP were also tested. Each treatment was replicated three times in a completely randomized design (CRD). The data obtained were analyzed using ANOVA. The results indicated that Dichlorvos, neem and desert date oils significantly (P<0.05) caused mortality of adults and reduced progenies emergence. There was no emergence on grains treated with the oils at 30 ml/l and some of the adults emerged were deformed and hence can affect their survival and reproductive ability. Consequently, the oils also significantly (P<0.05) reduced the grain damage and weight loss. The oils remained effective for 9 weeks with percent mean damage of 8.67% and 5.13 % on grains treated with neem and desert date oils, respectively, at 20 ml/l as against the control with 68.10 % damage. The oils were also found to have no effects on seed germination with 90 to 93.33 % and 86.67 to 91.67 % percent germination were recorded on neem and desert date treated grains, respectively. Palatability of the treated grains was not affected by the oils after three (3) months storage. It was therefore shown that The effectiveness of neem oil is nothing new or that to be proven neem and desert date oils significantly (P<0.05) reduced infestation of maize grains and provided good protection to maize grains and could therefore be considered as a substitute for DDVP and other synthetic insecticides.

Effects of X-Ray Irradiation on Biological Parameters and Induced Sterility of Ephestia elutella: Establishing the Optimum Irradiation Dose and Stage.

The sterile insect technique (SIT) is widely used for the inundative release of sterile mass-reared males to control lepidopteran pests. SIT based on X-ray irradiation is an eco-friendly alternative to chemical control. However, its use in Ephestia elutella, a stored tobacco pest currently controlled with insecticides, is poorly explored. This study aims to investigate the effects of X-ray irradiation on E. elutella to determine the optimal sterilizing dose and processing developmental stage for improving SIT application. The pupal stage was most suitable for irradiation that was more tolerant than the other insect stages including eggs, larvae, and adults. Subsequently, male pupae were irradiated with X-ray doses of 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 Gy and mated with unirradiated females. Their emergence, longevity, egg number, egg hatch rate, developmental duration, survival rate, induced sterility, and male mating competitiveness were evaluated. The results suggest that a dose of 200 Gy can be applied to effectively induce sterility in male pupae, after which induced sterility and male mating competitiveness can be balanced by increasing the release ratio (sterile:normal). When the release ratio was 15:1, it was found that 71.91% of the wild population could be suppressed. The results of this study show that the SIT based on X-ray irradiation can be successfully used to manage E. elutella, improves our understanding of the biological effects of the SIT, and expands its future application to the control of other pests.

Host Deprivation Effects on the Functional Response and Parasitism Rate of Habrobracon hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on Ephestia elutella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in the Laboratory.

Habrobracon hebetor (Say) is an important biological control agent for lepidopteran pests of stored products. In this study, the age-specific functional response, paralysis rate, and parasitism rate of H. hebetor under different host deprivation treatments (PC: without host deprivation, used as the control, P1d: host deprivation, but the host was removed after 1 d contact, and PW: host deprivation from beginning) were evaluated at different larval densities (5, 10, 20, 40, and 80) of the Ephestia elutella (Hübner) at 28 ± 1°C, 75 ± 5% RH and 16:8 h L:D. Ages of parasitoid females used were 2, 5, 10, and 20 d old. The logistic regression results indicated that the functional response of H. hebetor females under different host deprivation treatments was type II. The longest handling time was observed in 20-d old females, while the shortest handling time and highest maximum attack rate (T/Th) were estimated at the age of 2 d in all treatments. The paralysis and parasitism rates of H. hebetor were the highest at 2, 5, and 10-d old in all treatments. The results of this study suggest that H. hebetor females up to 10-d old can be used as an efficient biological control agent against E. elutella. The data of this study can also be used to predict the efficacy of different aged H. hebetor females in controlling E. elutella populations.

A Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly of Ephestia elutella (Hübner, 1796) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

The moth Ephestia elutella (Hübner), is a storage pest that feeds on tobacco, cacao beans, cereals, dried fruits, and nuts. We generated a chromosome-level genome assembly containing 576.94 Mb using Nanopore long reads (approximately 130×) and Hi-C data (approximately 134×). The final assembly contained 804 scaffolds, with an N50 length of 19.00 Mb, and 94.96% (547.89 Mb) of the assembly was anchored into 31 pseudochromosomes. We masked 58.12% (335.32 Mb) of the genome as repetitive elements, identified 727 noncoding RNAs, and predicted 15,637 protein-coding genes. Gene family evolution and functional enrichment analyses revealed significantly expanded gene families primarily involved in digestion, detoxification, and chemosensation. Strong chromosomal syntenic relationships were also observed among E. elutella, silkworm, and tobacco cutworm. This study could provide a valuable genomic basis for better understanding the biology of E. elutella.

Artificial diet significantly enhance fitness and be applicable in mass-rearing of Ephestia elutella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Ephestia elutella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is a cosmopolitan and polyphagous pest attack a wide variety of stored products. To better understand the effect of an artificial diet and tobacco leaves on mass-rearing performance of E. elutella, the developmental times of preadult and adult stages, total longevity, reproduction, and life table parameters were analyzed from the data gathered from individual and group reared E. elutella under laboratory conditions according to age–stage, two-sex life table theory. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) and finite rate of increase (λ) of group-reared data were found significantly lower than individual-reared data on same rearing medium. Both of these parameters of E. elutella reared on artificial diet were significantly higher than tobacco leaves regardless of whether they were reared individual or group-reared. Moreover, high preadult survival rates and fecundity values were recorded from E. elutella reared on artificial diet. In addition, the mass-rearing system of late instar larvae of E. elutella, which are suitable for mass-rearing an effective parasitoid, Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), demonstrate that rearing 10,000 daily E. elutella 5th instar larvae on artificial diet is cheaper than rearing 5th and/or 6th instar larvae on tobacco leaves. Overall, artificial diet used in present study can be used for continuous mass rearing E. elutella.

Host deprivation effects on population performance and paralysis rates of Habrobracon hebetor (hymenoptera: Braconidae).

Habrobracon hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a gregarious ectoparasitoid that attacks the larvae of several species of pyralid and noctuid moths. The reproduction and population dynamics of parasitoids in general are affected by host deprivation. However, how host deprivation affects H. hebetor is unknown. The effect of host deprivation on the parental generation, life table parameters, and the paralysis rate of the F1 generation of H. hebetor were evaluated using the age-stage, two-sex life table under laboratory conditions. The results indicated that the greatest longevity and the least lifetime fecundity of the F0 generation occurred after 19 days of host deprivation (PW-20 treatment). The life table parameters (intrinsic rate of increase, r; finite rate of increase, λ; and net reproductive rate, R0 ) and the paralysis rate parameters (net paralysis rate, C0 ; transformation rate, Qp ; stable paralysis rate, ψ; and finite paralysis rate, ω) of F1 individuals after PW-20 treatment were significantly higher than those of individuals subjected to the control treatment (no host deprivation). However, no difference was detected between the two host deprivation treatments: host deprivation after 1 day of host contact and immediate host deprivation (PW treatment). Our results demonstrated that the effectiveness of H. hebetor did not decrease even during host deprivation for 19 days. Meanwhile, it was observed that mass rearing of the parasitoid could be improved by providing 10 individuals of 5th instar larvae of Ephestia elutella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) with a 20% honey-water solution. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Transcriptomics reveals specific molecular mechanisms underlying transgenerational immunity in Manduca sexta.

The traditional view of innate immunity in insects is that every exposure to a pathogen triggers an identical and appropriate immune response and that prior exposures to pathogens do not confer any protective (i.e., adaptive) effect against subsequent exposure to the same pathogen. This view has been challenged by experiments demonstrating that encounters with sublethal doses of a pathogen can prime the insect's immune system and, thus, have protective effects against future lethal doses. Immune priming has been reported across several insect species, including the red flour beetle, the honeycomb moth, the bumblebee, and the European honeybee, among others. Immune priming can also be transgenerational where the parent's pathogenic history influences the immune response of its offspring. Phenotypic evidence of transgenerational immune priming (TGIP) exists in the tobacco moth Manduca sexta where first‐instar progeny of mothers injected with the bacterium Serratia marcescens exhibited a significant increase of in vivo bacterial clearance. To identify the gene expression changes underlying TGIP in M. sexta, we performed transcriptome‐wide, transgenerational differential gene expression analysis on mothers and their offspring after mothers were exposed to S. marcescens. We are the first to perform transcriptome‐wide analysis of the gene expression changes associated with TGIP in this ecologically relevant model organism. We show that maternal exposure to both heat‐killed and live S. marcescens has strong and significant transgenerational impacts on gene expression patterns in their offspring, including upregulation of peptidoglycan recognition protein, toll‐like receptor 9, and the antimicrobial peptide cecropin.

Combined control of Lasioderma serricorne (F.) and Ephestia elutella (Hbn.) in a tobacco processing facility by attracticide method

AbstractResults on application of attracticide method in the combined control of cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne and tobacco moth, Ephestia elutella, infesting a tobacco processing facility are reported. Experimental devices with cross‐panel stripes treated with microencapsulated permethrin at 6% (a.i.) and baited at same time with (4,6‐dimethyl‐7‐hydroxynonan‐3‐one) serricornin and (Z,E)‐9,12‐tetradecadien‐1 ol acetate (TDA) were used for 2 years (2017 and 2018) in an Italian tobacco processing facility. The experiment demonstrated that the presence of both serricornin and TDA dispensers on cross‐panel striped devices had no affect on the numbers of L. serricorne and E. elutella male adults caught. After 2 years, the densities of adult males were clearly suppressed in room treated with attracticide compared to control room. Thus, the 2017–2018 experiment suggests that attracticide devices with two pheromone lures and microencapsulated permethrin at 6% (a.i.) can be effective suppression tools for managing combined pest populations of L. serricorne and E. elutella in tobacco facilities. The reduction of male infestation by L. serricorne ranged from 36% to 87%, and in E. elutella, the reduction of infestation ranged from 63% to 91%.

Evaluation of Carifend® for the control of stored-product beetles

In the present study, the effectiveness of Carifend® (BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany), an alpha-cypermethrin-coated net, was evaluated in laboratory tests against major stored-product insects. The insecticide-treated net was adjusted at the bottom of plastic petri dishes, and adult insects were placed in each dish and exposed for different exposure intervals (1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 days), after which mortality and knockdown was measured. The tests were carried out against a wide spectrum of stored-product insects, i.e. Sitophilus oryzae, Sitophilus granarius, Sitophilus zeamais, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Tribolium castaneum, Tribolium confusum, Prostephanus truncatus, Rhyzopertha dominica and Cryptolestes ferrugineus. The results showed that O. surinamensis, R. dominica and P. truncatus were highly susceptible to Carifend®, as complete control was achieved for all three species, after 5, 14 and 5 days, respectively. Regarding Sitophilus species, S. zeamais was the most tolerant species, as mortality levels did not exceed 46%, even after 14 days of exposure. In contrast, S. oryzae and S. granarius mortality was >98% after 14 days of exposure. So far, Carifend® has been registered in many parts of the world for the protection of stored tobacco against major tobacco pests, i.e. Lasioderma serricorne and Ephestia elutella. However, our results clearly indicate that this net can be used effectively for the control of other stored-product insects that infest durable food, such as grains and related amylaceous commodities.

English

Damage by the tropical warehouse moth, Ephestia cautella (Walker) to stored plant products especially dried cocoa beans is enormous. This is expressed in holing with frass and webbing of the beans leading to nutritional loss; turning the valuable commodity into powder and reducing the value in the export-import market. Effective management of the pest is contingent upon correct identification and bioecological expressions in relation with the host(s) and other environmental influences. Therefore, the morphological traits (phenotypic) variability between sexes and populations of E. cautella across different locations in Southwestern Nigeria were investigated with a view to identifying the population structure of E. cautella in the region. Thirty-two ecotypes of E. cautella (16 male; 16 female) populations (n = 10/ecotype) were evaluated for eight morphometric traits including forewings (length and width), hind-wings (length and width), body length, antenna length and abdominal dimension (length and width). Significant variations (P ≤ 0.05) occurred among the 32 E. cautella ecotypes for the eight measured traits with respect to sexes, locations and the interactions of the two sources of variation (sex by location). By magnitude, the females had significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher mean for the fore and hind wings (length and width), body length and abdominal dimension; however, the antenna length was longer in males than in females’ samples. The overall mean Gower genetic distance for the 32 E. cautella ecotypes was 0.656, with the range of 0.273 to 0.968. At 0.1 level of similarity index, four clusters (I, II, III, IV) emerged; with the membership of 7, 8, 12, and 5 respectively. This study showed that four ecotypes of E. cautella exist in south-western Nigeria with sex by location assessment and this can be useful in control programmes of the pest. Key words: morphological traits, population structure, variability, ecotypes, similarity index.

Field evaluation of Carifend® net for the protection of stored tobacco from storage insect pests

In the present study, Carifend® an alpha-cypermethrin-coated net, was evaluated for the control of Lasioderma serricorne and Ephestia elutella in semi-field and field tests in two storage facilities. In the semi-field tests, three Carifend® Multi-Cubicles (CMCs), within which one carton box filled with tobacco was placed, were suspended in three separate rooms. Two MoBe traps were placed, one inside and one outside of each CMC. Three additional tobacco quantities in similar carton boxes, with a MoBe trap on them, were placed in three separate adjacent rooms and served as controls. In each room, 50 L. serricorne and 50 E. elutella adults were released outside of each tobacco quantity and the traps were inspected at weekly intervals for 3 weeks. A similar approach was followed in the field test conducted in a commercial tobacco storage facility. However, no insects were released and the test was based on the naturally-occurring immigrations of populations of E. elutella and L. serricorne from outside the facility or from unprotected tobacco. In semi-field tests, significantly more adults were captured in the first week in the control traps compared to counts from CMCs, either inside or outside. However, differences were significant only in the case of E. elutella. Only one single L. serricorne individual was found in the traps that had been placed inside CMCs, whereas no adult E. elutella were detected inside CMCs. In the field-test, traps that had been placed inside the CMCs captured only 3 and 1 adults of E. elutella and L. serricorne, respectively, during the entire survey period. Results of this study show that Carifend® is highly effective for the control of both species on stored tobacco, and could be further successfully utilized as an alternative method over the use of traditional insecticidal treatments (such as repeated fumigations of phosphine gas) on tobacco.

Host-preference and parasitic capacity of new candidates of Trichogramma species (Hym.:Trichogrammatidae) against some stored product moths

The host-preference and parasitic capacity of some local Trichogramma spp. (T. bourarachae, T. cordubensis, T. euproctidis and T. cacociae) towards four species of stored product moth eggs were investigated in order to select new candidate species for use in mass rearing and biological control against moths in storages. The efficacy of the Trichogramma spp. was compared with T. evanescens, the common wasp used commercially for biological control. Experiments were carried out by offering a single parasitoid female to eggs of the Indianmeal moth Plodia interpunctella (Hubner), the Mediterranean flour moth Ephestia kuehniella Zeller, the warehouse moth E. elutella (Hubner), and the almond moth, Cadra cautella (Walker) in choice and no-choice assays. Two different choice experiments were used to certify the same conclusion in both methods. The bioassay for host-preference of Trichogramma was carried out by offering a single early female wasp the choice between equal numbers of host eggs on square cards “Petri dish tests “and/or strip cards “strip card tests”. In Petri dish tests, E.kuehniella was a highly acceptable host species for T. bourarachae, T. euproctidis, and T. cacociae wasps while E.elutella and C.cautella eggs were more acceptable for T. evanescens and T.cordubensis, respectively. In strip card tests, E.kuehniella eggs were highly acceptable for T.bourarachae, T.cacociae and T.evanescens. Eggs of E.elutella and C.cautella were more acceptable for T.euproctidis andT. cordubensis, respectively. Significant differences were found among the parasitic capacity of the tested Trichogramma spp.: T. borarachae showed a good parasitic potential against S.cerealella and E. kuehniella; T.evanescens and T. cacociae against S.cerealella; T. cordubensis against S.cerealella and P. interpunctella and T. euproctidis against P. interpunctella. All tested wasps had a propensity to superparasitize the host eggs. T. cordubensis, T. euproctidis and T. borarachae showed promise for further investigation into selecting new biological control agents against some stored product lepidopterous pests.

(Z, E)-9, 12-Tetradecadienyl Acetate (ZETA) disrupts mating of Ephestia cautella : Presentation

The tropical warehouse moth Ephestia cautella is a major pest of stored products in Sri Lanka, and difficult to control using currently-available insecticides. The sex pheromone (Z, E)-9, 12- tetradecadienyl acetate (ZETA) emitted by the females attracts males of this species. Hence it can potentially be used in the management programs but the limited information on pheromone concentration and air movement impede the potential use of this pheromone in pest management programs. This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of ZETA concentration and air movement on the mating disruption of E. cautella. The male and female moths of E. cautella were introduced into a cubicle in which ZETA was placed at different concentrations. Later, the female moths were dissected to determine the presence/absence of spermatophore. All the pheromone concentrations tested recorded lower mating percentages than the hexane control. Mating disruption varied with the pheromone concentration and the availability of air flow. This study reveals that ZETA can be used to disrupt mating in E. cautella.

Innovative stored plant products in Germany and the potential threat by native and invasive pest insects: Presentation

Climate change, economic-political developments as well as new trends in diet and in bio-economy considerably influence the assortment of cultivated plants in Germany and thereby, determine the plant products which have to be stored after harvest. In the light of the International Year of Pulses 2016 and also, as a result of the European Soya Declaration, the acreage cultivated with new plants such as pulses, stress tolerant wheat varieties and also oil seed rape expanded worldwide. Due to increasing stocks of novel commodities, the emergence of economically important insects infesting stored products and the possible risk caused by native and invasive pest species have to be generally considered during storage. In this overall context, we studied the capacity of various stored-product pest insects to infest two important pulses. In laboratory tests different varieties of soy and lupine have been offered as whole seeds, grist and flour to selected moth and beetle species common in Germany. Over 14 weeks we examined the developmental time from egg to eclosion as well as the number of adults in the F1 generation compared to control insects reared on their standard feeding substrate. First findings under laboratory conditions (20-25 °C, 65-70 % RH) indicate that these innovative stored products, and in particular its simply processed plant products are highly susceptible to moths (i.a. Ephestia elutella, Plodia interpunctella) and to a much lesser extent also to some beetle species (i.a. Callosobruchus chinensis, Tribolium confusum), but the usally recommended optimal storage conditions (T = 16 °C, RH = 65%) can prevent a loss of volume and quality.

Factors affecting field performance of pheromone traps for tobacco beetle, Lasioderma serricorne, and tobacco moth, Ephestia elutella

Tobacco beetle, Lasioderma serricorne (F.) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae), is one of the most serious insect pests of stored tobacco, and traps baited with the female-produced sex pheromone, serricornin, are used for monitoring the pest. In two trapping experiments carried out in tobacco warehouses in Greece, two commercially available trap and lure systems for L. serricorne were found to be equally effective in terms of the numbers of beetles trapped. In contrast to previous reports, anhydroserricornin was unattractive and lures containing serricornin and anhydroserricornin were less attractive than lures containing serricornin only. The sex pheromone of the other main insect pest of tobacco, Ephestia elutella (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), could be added to the lures without affecting the attractiveness of either pheromone to their respective species. Lures remained attractive for at least 4 weeks under field conditions, and, in laboratory tests, release of pheromone could still be detected after 30 days at 27 °C. The stereoisomeric composition of the serricornin in the two commercial lures was similar with high proportions of the attractive (4S,6S,7S)-isomer. The proportion of the (4S,6S,7R)-isomer was low, and this is known to reduce the attractiveness.