This document discusses post-harvest entomology and methods for managing insects that infest stored grains. It begins by providing background on insects and classifications of entomology. It then describes various insects that infest stored grains like moths, weevils and beetles. These insects can damage grains and reduce both quality and quantity. The document outlines several methods to manage these storage insects, including chemical treatments with insecticides and fumigants, physical treatments that control atmosphere and temperature, and biological control using natural enemies, pathogens, pheromones and botanical derivatives. It emphasizes using an integrated pest management approach to control post-harvest insects in a sustainable manner.

1. An insight to Post-Harvest Entomology
Dr. Guru P. N.
Scientist (Agril. Entomology)

2. Humans
(Homo sapiens)
A pie chart of described eukaryote species,
showing just over half of these to be insects
• 925,000 species described
• Total of 30 million species (Approx)
• First sp.: 350 million years ago
• 30 orders & 560 families
Insect diversity
Insects

3. Insect is a tracheate arthropod

4. Insect face Human face

5. Sociality
Division of labour

6. Males
are
Beautiful
Praying mantis
Sexual suicide

7. Boll Weevil
Monument
Boll Weevil
Monument

8.  Insect Ecology
 Insect Morphology
 Insect Pathology
 Insect Taxonomy
 Insect Toxicology
 Industrial Entomology
 Medical and Veterinary Entomology
 Crop Protection Entomology
 Biological Control
 Postharvest Entomology
 Forensic Entomology
Entomology

9. Rodents
Birds
Mites
Microorganisms
Insects
Biotic factors

10. RAT
MOUSE

11. A few types of rodents
Rats
Mice
Squirrels
Chipmunks
Woodchucks

12. Some common species of rats:
Basis of their shelter, rats can broadly be divided in to two groups.
A. House rats B. Field rats
A. House rats:
1. Rattus rattus (House rat)
2. Mus musculus (House mouse)
B. Field rats:
1. Bandicota bengalensis (Lesser bandicoot)
2. Tetera omdoca (Indian gerbil)
3. Nesokia indica (Short tail mole rat)
4. Rattus meltoda (Soft fur field rat)
5. Mus booduga (Field mouse)
C. Common species of rats found in both field as well as houses
1. Rattus norgegicus (Norvey rat)
2. Rattus rattus rufescens
3. Bandicota indica (Large bandicoots)

13. Insects infesting stored grains
• Internal
• External
• Primary
• Secondary
• Storage
• Field cum
storage
Classification Type of insects
• Damage
Direct or
indirect
• Loss
Quality
Quantity
Type of damage
Moth
Weevil
Beetle

14. Moth (पतंग)
Weevil (घुन)
Beetle (भंग कीट)

15. Rice weevil: Sitophilus oryzae, S. zeamais, S. granarius
Host range: Wheat, rice, maize, jowar, paddy.
300- 575 eggs/female
TLC: 4-7 weeks

16. Khapra beetle: Trogoderma granarium
Host range: Wheat, maize, jowar, rice, pulses, oil seeds and
their cakes.
60- 90 eggs/female
TLC: 4-6 weeks

17. Lesser grain borer/Hooded grain borer/paddy borer
beetle: Rhyzopertha dominica
Host range: Paddy, rice, wheat, maize.
200- 500 eggs/female
TLC: 4-5 weeks

18. Pulse beetle/ bruchid/
seed weevil
Eggs on seeds Hatched Grub stages Adult
Host range:
All whole pulses
Insect: Overlapping generation

19. Drugstore beetle Cigarette beetle

20. Rust red flour
beetle: Tribolium castaneum
Confused flour
beetle: Tribolium confusum,
Host range: Broken grains/
mechanically damaged grains,
germ portion and milled
products. Heavy infestation
causes stinking odour in flour,
adversely affecting the dough
quality. It is an important pest
for mill machinery.
200- 600 eggs/female
TLC: 5-8 weeks

21. Rice moth: Corcyra cephalonica
Host range: Rice, jowar, other millets, whole cereals, cereal
products, pulses, processed products of cereals, pulses, oil
seeds, nuts, dry fruits and milled spices.

22. Angoumois grain moth or Grain moth: Sitotroga cerealella
Host range: Paddy, maize, jowar, barley and wheat
(rarely).

23. Almond
moth
Indian meal
moth
Fig moth
Clothes
moth
Other important insects
Flat grain
beetle
Saw-toothed
grain beetle
Pscocids
Groundnut
bruchid
Sweet potato
weevil
Potato tuber
moth

24. Methods for insect management in stored pulses
Chemical Treatments
Insecticide fumigants
Carbon dioxide
Protectants
Natural products
Inert Dusts
Botanical
Derivatives
Plant powders
Plant Essential Oils
Physical treatments:
Modified/ Hermetic/
Controlled atmosphere
Low Pressure storage
Heating/ cooling:
Mechanical, Dielctric
heating, Ionizing Radiation,
Ozone Treatment
Mechanical
methods
Mechanical
devices and traps
Biotechnological
Interventions
Biological Control
Parasitoids and Predators
Semiochemicals
Entomopathogens
I P M

25. Drying
Dunnage
CO2 Fumigation
STORAGE STRUCTURES
Hermetic bags
Mechanical devices
Radiation and ozone

26.  Dis-infestation of stores/receptacles
 Treatment of bulk and bag storage
structures with insecticides
Preventive measures
 Registered – 269 insecticides
– 563 formulations
- 70 combi-products
 Storage – 02 + 01* (DDVP)
o Malathion 50EC
o Deltamethrin 2.5WP
• Resistance
• Resurgence
• Residues
What
next?

27. Curative measures
Methyl bromide
 Phased out
 Pre-shipment quarantine usage
Fumigation
Aluminum phosphide
 Only available option
 Tablets, pouches
 Non-specific fumigant
 Resistance
 Resurgence
 Residues

28. Biological methods
Semiochemicals

29. Pheromones
Monitoring
Mass trapping
Mating disruption

30. Traps
available for
field pests

31. Available traps for storage insect management
Electocutes
TNAU STORAGE KIT
Probe trap Pitfall trap Pitfall trap
TNAU Two-in-one Model
Indicator Device
TNAU UV Trap

32. 1. Anisopteromalus calandrae
2. Theocolax elegans
3. Habrobracon hebetor
1
3
2
Biological methods
 Natural enemies
 Predators
 Parasitoids
 Pathogens
Biopesticides
Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN’s)

33. Biological methods
Botanicals
103 Plant species
318 Constituent/Metabolites
23 Insects
97.6 % - Lab studies
103 Plant species
318 Constituent/Metabolites
23 Insects
97.6 % - Lab studies
Rajendran and Sriranjini, 2008

34. Chemical Treatments
Insecticide fumigants, Carbon dioxide, Protectants
Physical treatments:
Modified/ Hermetic/ Controlled atmosphere Low Pressure
storage, Heating/ cooling: Mechanical, Dielctric heating,
Ionizing Radiation, Ozone Treatment
Biotechnological
Interventions
Biological Control
Parasitoids and Predators,
Semiochemicals, Entomopathogens

35. Presentation by,
Dr. Guru P. N.
Scientist (Agril. Entomology)
FG & OP Division