Studies on biology and evaluation of botanicals & plant extracts oil against rust red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) in stored basmati rice

Abstract

The present investigations entitled “Studies on biology and evaluation of botanicals and plant extracts oil against rust red flour beetle,Tribolium castaneum(Herbst) in stored basmati rice” were conducted atPost graduate laboratory, Department of Entomology, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut- 250110 (U.P.) during Jan. 2017 to Dec. 2018. The experiment carried out with twenty one treatments including control replicated thrice in completely randomized design. The biology of T. castaneum on basmati rice revealed thatincubation period was with an average of 4.16±0.42 days while hatching per cent with an average 93.5±1.91 Per cent. The total larval period of T. castaneum was with an average 21.36±0.75days. The pre-pupal period and pupal period lasted with an average 1.39±0.20 and 5.66±0.27 days, respectively. The post developmental period viz;preoviposition period, oviposition period and post-oviposition period was with an average 4.5±1.08),107.6±14.11 and 5.87±1.48 days, respectively.The longevity of adult malewith food and without food was with an average 60.52±4.31 and 16.76±0.75 days, respectively. The longevity of adult female was withfood andwithout food with an average 91.56±2.95 and 17.84±1.72 days, respectively.The fecundity of female of T. castaneum recorded with an average 3.40±0.84 per day, 71.8±7.69 per month and 256.40±26.00 during entire life span.The highest mean moisture content (13.10 %)in grain was recorded in second fortnight of September and lowest mean (10.06 %) recorded in second fortnight of June.The highest mean per cent moisture content (12.14 %) was recorded in thegrains procured from M/s Shiv provision Stores,Pablikhas, Meerut and lowest mean per cent moisture content (10.45 %)was recorded in thegrains procured from M/s Prashant provision store, near Daurala sugar factory, Meerut.The highest infestation (6.41%) was recorded insecond fortnight of September and lowest (3.96 %) in second fortnight in June. However, the per cent infestation from different retailers was ranged from 4.95 to 5.61 with an average of 5.21 per cent.The highest mean infestation (5.61 %) was recorded in the grain procured from M/s Shiv provision Stores, Pablikhas(Meerut) and lowest mean infestation (4.95 %) was recorded in the grain procured from M/s Prashant provision store, near Daurala sugar factory, Daurala (Meerut).Per cent moisturecontent in the basmati rice grain was positively significant association withthe grain infestation during the year of investigation. Among all the basmati rice varieties Pusa- 1121 was least susceptible with lowest Orientation for feeding(4.60 %),less per cent ovipositional preference (12.00 %),minimum population build up (128.33 adults)with minimum per cent weight loss (5.50 %) after 75 day of adults released. Twenty one treatments of essential oils and botanicals including untreated control were tested. Among all the treatments eucalyptus essential oil (0.50 %) was found best superior with maximum per cent adult mortality (91.75) at 30 days after treatment and minimum per cent weight loss (19.74) at 90 days.