Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-dnltx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-19T17:31:00.175Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Penetration of Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) through diatomaceous earth-treated bulk maize grain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2007

B.M. Mvumi ,
T.E. Stathers ,
P. Golob  and
D.P. Giga
B.M. Mvumi*
Affiliation:
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, University of Zimbabwe, PO Box MP 167, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
T.E. Stathers
Affiliation:
Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
P. Golob
Affiliation:
Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
D.P. Giga
Affiliation:
PO Box 629, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
*
*E-mail: mvumibm@agric.uz.ac.zw
Get access

Abstract

The penetration of adult Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky through maize grain bulks (0.75 m deep), treated with Protect-It®, a diatomaceous earth (DE) at 0, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2% (w/w), was determined 12 weeks after weevils were released at the upper surface of the grain. Maize was stored in columns in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes, under controlled conditions of 26±2°C and 70±10% RH. Grain samples were collected from various pre-determined depths and the numbers of S. zeamais adults counted. Differences in insect numbers between treatments and at different depths from which samples were collected were highly significant (P<0.001). The bottom 2–3 layers (0.65–0.75 m deep) had significantly more insects than the upper layers for all the DE concentrations. No significant differences in total insect numbers (live+dead) were found between the DE concentrations. Dead S. zeamais weevils were found at the bottom of grain treated with Protect-It®, indicating that insects can penetrate through DE-treated grain 0.75 m deep but then subsequently die. There was no strong evidence that DEs admixed with bulk grain restrict S. zeamais movement within the grain.

Keywords

Sitophilus zeamaisdiatomaceous earthgrain protectantvertical insect movementbulk maize
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 26 , Issue 1 , March 2006 , pp. 28 - 34
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anon (1993) Standards: Section 352.2 (Grain moisture determination). American Society of Agricultural Engineers, St Joseph, Michigan. 449 pp.Google Scholar
Hodges, R. J., Addo, S., Birkinshaw, L. A., Penne, H. and Amuku, M. (1999) Limiting the amount of maize grain or maize cobs in a farm store that has to be treated with pesticide, pp. 61–84. In Risk Warning to Farmers of Larger Grain Borer Infestation and Reduced Pesticide Treatment in Farm Maize Stores. (Edited by Hodges, R. J., Birkinshaw, L. A.). Final technical report to the Crop Post-Harvest Programme, Natural Resources Institute, Chatham Maritime.Google Scholar
Howe, R. W. (1951) The movement of grain weevils through grain. Bulletin of Entomological Research 42, 125–135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jackson, K. and Webley, D. (1994) Effects of Dryacide ® on the physical properties of grains, pulses and oilseeds, pp. 635–637. In Proceedings of the Sixth International Working Conference on Stored-product Protection. Vol.2. (Edited by Highley, E., Wright, E. J., Banks, H. J., Champ, B. R.). Canberra, Australia, 17–23 April 1994 CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon.Google Scholar
Korunic, Z. (1998) Diatomaceous earths, a group of natural insecticides. Journal of Stored Products Research 34, 87–97.Google Scholar
Korunic, Z., Cenkowski, S. and Fields, P. G. (1998) Grain bulk density as affected by diatomaceous earth and application method. Postharvest Biology and Technology 13, 81–89.Google Scholar
Korunic, Z., Fields, P. G., Kovacs, M. I. P., Noll, J. S., Lukow, O. M., Demianyk, C. J. and Shibley, K. J. (1996) The effect of diatomaceous earth on grain quality. Postharvest Biology and Technology 9, 373–387.Google Scholar
Korunic, Z. and Mackay, A. (2000) Grain surface-layer treatment of diatomaceous earth for insect control. Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology 51, 1–11.Google ScholarPubMed
La Hue, D. W. (1967) Evaluation of malathion, synergized pyrethrum and diatomaceous earth as protectants against insects in sorghum grain in small bins. Market Research Report 8, 28.Google Scholar
La Hue, D. W. (1972) The retention of diatomaceous earths and silica aerogels in shelled corn, hard winter wheat, and sorghum grain. USDA/ARS, Marketing Research Report no. 860. 12 pp.Google Scholar
Mvumi, B. M. (2001) The ecology of stored grain insects in Zimbabwe and their control using diatomaceous earths with particular reference to the grain moth Sitotroga cerelealla (Olivier) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). PhD Thesis, Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, UK, ix + 312 ppGoogle Scholar
Navarro, S., Amos, T. G. and Williams, P. (1981) The effect of oxygen and carbon dioxide gradients on the vertical dispersion of grain insects in wheat. Journal of Stored Products Research 17, 101–107.Google Scholar
Rigaux, M., Haubruge, E. and Fields, P. G. (2001) Mechanisms for tolerance to diatomaceous earth between strains of Tribolium castaneum. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 101, 33–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stathers, T. E., Mvumi, B. M. and Golob, P. (2002) Field assessment of the efficacy and persistence of diatomaceous earths in protecting stored grain on small-scale farms in Zimbabwe. Crop Protection 21, 1033–1048.Google Scholar
Subramanyam, B., Swanson, C. L., Madamanchi, N. and Norwood, S. (1994) Effectiveness of Insecto ®, a new diatomaceous earth formulation in suppressing several stored-grain insect species, pp. 650–659. In Proceedings of the 6th International Working Conference on Stored-product Protection, Vol.2 (Edited by Highley, E., Wright, E. J., Banks, H. J., Champ, B. R.). Canberra, Australia, 17–23 April, 1994 CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon.Google Scholar
Surtees, G. (1964) Laboratory studies on dispersion behaviour of adult beetles in grain. VI. Three-dimensional analysis of dispersion of five species in a uniform bulk. Bulletin of Entomological Research 55, 723–725.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
White, G. D., Bernt, W. L., Schesser, J. L. and Fifield, C. C. (1966) Evaluation of Inert Dusts for the Protection of Stored Wheat in Kansas from Insect Attack 21 Beltsville, Maryland Agricultural Research Services, United States Department of Agriculture, ARS 51–8, Beltsville, Maryland. 21 pp.Google Scholar