Efficacy of inert dusts against lesser grain borer, Rhizopertha dominica Fab. in stored Wheat Lal Jhumar*, Sharma K.C., Ameta O.P. Department of Entomology, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, 313 001, India * jhumarleelawat@gmail.com
Online published on 29 September, 2015. Abstract A laboratory experiment was conducted to assess the efficacy of four inert dusts namely fly ash, rice husk ash, cow-dung ash and diatomaceous earth against the lesser grain borer, Rhizopertha dominica in stored wheat. Among the different treatment of inert dusts were evaluated by treating 100 g of wheat grains with two application rates of 0.5 and 1.0% of grain weight against R. dominica up to 120 days. The grains treated by diatomaceous earth @ 1.0% was found to be most effective with significantly (P=0.05) highest adult mortality (99.5%), least grain damage (0.25%), least weight loss (0.13%) and least population build up (0.75 adults). The least effective treatments were observed in wheat treated with fly ash and cow dung ash @ 0.5% with adult mortality (70.3 & 72.8%), population build up (17.92 & 16.75 adults), grain damage (6.4 & 5.7%) and weight loss (7.9 & 6.9%), respectively. No adverse effect of fly ash, rice husk ash, cow dung ash and diatomaceous earth were observed on the germination of treated wheat grains stored for 120 days of treatment. Top Keywords Inert dusts, Rhizopertha dominica, Triticum aestivum. Top |