Evaluation of Standard Loose Plastic Packaging for the Management ofRhyzopertha dominica(F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) andTribolium castaneum(Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebriondiae)

Abstract

Three standard foodstuff plastic packaging namely polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinylchloride (PVC) were evaluated for management of lesser grain borer Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) and red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Resistance parameters in packaging were recorded as punctures, holes, penetrations, sealing defects, and invasions with two thicknesses and tested for two lengths of time. Damages like punctures, holes and penetrations by both insects were more in PE packaging however R. dominica made more penetrations in PP than in PE. For both insects sealing defects and invasions were predominant in PVC than in others. Thickness did not affect significantly damage types but significantly more holes and penetrations by R. dominica were in less thickness. Punctures and holes by R. dominica were more after less time period but other damages in packaging were more after more time period. However for T. castaneum all sorts of damages were seen more after more time period. Overall categorization between two insects showed R. dominica made more penetrations and T. castaneum made more invasions compared with their counterparts. Pictures were taken under camera fitted microscope to magnify punctures and holes in different packaging and thicknesses. Insect mortality due to phosphine was more in PP and PE packaging and least in PVC packaging and thickness effect was marginal. T. castaneum mortality was significantly more after 48 h than after 24 h. Damages extent in packaging and fumigation results showed PP to be the best of three packaging materials to manage these insects.

Effect of Packaging Materials and Time Period for Damage in Packaging and Weight Loss in Packed Wheat Flour (Triticum aestivum L.) by Red Flour Beetles Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

“…T. castaneum beetles could only manage to damage and create holes in polyethylene packets and subsequently it entered through holes in polyethylene packed wheat flour. This study is in agreement with our previous findings in which it was proved that out of three different packaging materials tested; polyethylene was a susceptible packaging material against red flour beetle in 2013, 2014and 2016(Qasim et al, 2013Hassan et al, 2014;Hassan et al, 2016). This study is also in agreement with a study which reports that polymers like polyethylene and cellophane could be penetrated by certain stored grain insect pests (Cline, 1978;Allahvaisi, 2010).…”

“…We have so far studied behaviour of three types of loose plastic packaging in terms their susceptibility to penetration or invasion by T. castaneum or other storage pests and fumigation efficacy by phosphine as affected by different packaging has been elucidated (Qasim et al, 2013;Hassan et al, 2014;Hassan et al, 2016). This research is for the first time about investigation of resistant packaging against T. castaneum for a period of three months.…”

Evaluation of Plastic Packaging for Prevention of Damage to Wheat by Trogoderma granarium (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), and Suitability of Phosphine Fumigation

“…compared to thick packaging, and that polypropylene and polystyrene packaging were completely penetrated when used at thinner thicknesses. Our results are in agreement with our recent findings showing that damage was more pronounced in thin packaging than in thicker packaging (Hassan et al 2016), and our more recent studies showed that transparent polyethylene packaging became particularly susceptible for packed foodstuff against Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) when used at 0.02 mm thickness followed by polypropylene at 0.02 mm; no damage occurred in polyvinylchloride packaging at 0.03 mm thickness (Yar et al 2017). Our results also are consistent with the findings of Shukla et al (1993), who reported that khapra beetles can penetrate packaging of less than 0.08 mm thickness.…”

“…These results show that transparent polyethylene packaging is superior to the polyvinylchloride packaging. These results are in agreement with our previous findings that showed mortality of pest species was lower in polyvinylchloride packaging than in transparent polyethylene or polypropylene packaging (Hassan et al 2016;Akram et al 2018).…”

Biodegradación de espumas plásticas por larvas de insectos: ¿una estrategia sustentable?

“…Recientemente se ha observado que la capacidad para degradar polímeros plásticos por escarabajos va más allá del género Tenebrio. Los adultos del escarabajo Tribolium castaneum han mostrado la capacidad para producir daños estructurales en recipientes de PE(Hassan, Qasim, Iqbal & Jamil, 2014;Hassan et al, 2016) y en bloques de EPS, donde se pudo después de 16 días de tratamiento, tiempo durante el cual las larvas pudieron subsistir con una dieta exclusiva de material plástico. El análisis del humus generado durante el tratamiento sugiere que existe una despolimerización parcial de las cadenas largas del EPS dentro del tracto intestinal de las larvas con la consecuente formación de productos de bajo peso molecular, confirmándose la biotransformación de este material.…”