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

Abstract

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.