Stored Grain Pests

and their control

Stored grain pest and their management
Cereal and pulses must be stored before being processed and sown. In
Nepal, a large proportion of grain is stored in the home for domestic consumption
and re-sowing. There are many pests which reduce the quantity and quality of
stored grain. A number of stored grain insects, fungal pathogens, rodents and
birds can cause significant losses. Among the stored grain pests, the following
insect species, diseases and rodents cause post-harvest losses of grain.
 Insects
Primary Insects

1. Rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae)

2. Maize weevil (S. zea mays)

3. Grainary weevil (S. granarius)

4. Angoumois grain moth (S. cerealella)

5. Lesser grain borer (Rhizopertha dominica)

6. Khopra beetle (Trogoderma granarium)

7. Pulse beetle (Callosobruchus chinensis)

 Insects
Secondary Insects

1. Red-rust flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum )

2. Saw toothed grain beetle (Oryzaephillus surinamensis)

3. Rusty grain beetle (Cryptolester forugieus)

4. Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella)

 Diseases

Fusarium species of fungus are

predominant ones and can produce mycotoxin in
stored grains. The predominant species
prevailing in Nepal are:

● Giberella fujikuni
● Fusarium graminearum
● Penecillus spp
● Aspergillus spp
 Rodents
 Rattus rattus (House rat)

 Bendicata bengalensis (Field rat)

 Rice weevils; Maize weevils; Grainary
weevils
Identification
Prominent beak which is known as snout. They contain
small dot-like grooves which are scattered in the body.
Rice weevils are generally smaller than maize weevils.

Damage

Both adult and larvae cause damage by feeding and

contaminating the grains. The rate of development of
Sitophilus species population varies with grain moisture
content and temperature. The developing larvae live and
feed inside the grain hollowing it out in the process. The
entire grain is usually destroyed by the time adult
emerges.
 Rice weevils
Management

Store hygiene: In good storage suitable site

should be need. These site should be airy, shady,
cool and dry locations. New and old lots of
grains should not be stored together.

Drying: A moisture content of not more than 12-

13 % depending upon the R.H. is essential
before grains are stored . Drying helps to reduce
grain moisture content in grains.
 Rice weevils
Management

Choice of variety: Nepalese farmers prefers to

grow maize varieties that have hard intact
teguments or tightly closed husks. Modern
hybrid maize varieties often possess open husk
which don little to prevent the infestation by
weevils.

Time of harvesting: In general, farmers do not

harvest maize unless it is fully matured because
of the weevil problem. Timely harvesting
followed by drying the grains can ensure that
weevils can’t easily bore into grains.
 Rice weevils
Management
Use of botanicals: such as natural insecticides to combat
post harvest insects. For example:
● Use of fumeric powder @2%
● Use of commercial mustard oil @1%
● Use of timur

Use of household lime and wood ash.

Use of aluminum phosphide.
a. Volume basis:
under air tight condition @20 tablets/ 30m3
Under partial airtight condition @40-80 tablets/ 30m3
b. Weight basis:
under airtight container @ 1 tablet/ metric ton.
Under partial airtight container @ 2-4 tablet/ metric ton.
 Rice weevils
Management

Disinfecting the store room and container with malathion

dust.
Pulse beetle

Hosts: cowpea, black gram, lentil and other pulses.

Identification: Adult have long antennae, and are

strong fliers.

Nature of damage: Both adult and grub (larva)

damage the grain. They bore the grain, feed it and
make unsuitable for consumption and germination.
The infested pods are then harvested and taken into
the farm stores where further development takes
place. The adult produce spoiling more than what
they feed. The damage is peak at April- Sep. and low
in Oct.- Nov.
Pulse beetle

Management

Cultural control: can be effective in growing

vulnerable crops at least half a mile away from farm
stores which are the primary source of infestation.

Storage hygiene

Drying

Choice of variety

Time of harvesting
 Angoumois grain moth

Hosts: maize, wheat both in field and in grain stores.

Nature of damage: during monsoon, the damage is at

peak. The larvae bore into the grain and feed on their
content. As larvae grow, the extend the hole which
partly get filled with pellets of excreta. Usually, about
30-50% of the grain contents are consumed, but
sometimes the larvae finish off the entire grain. With
infestation the grains give out an unpleasant smell and
present an unhealthy appearance, each grain being
covered with scales shed from the moths.
Angoumois grain moth

Management

Same as Rice Weevils

 Red-rust flour beetle

Host: maize, wheat, barley (crushed grain and flour)

Nature of damage: larvae of the insects are of destructing

nature. They feed on stored products and the infected
products give terrible and off smell which makes grain
inedible. Beetles feed whole grains but require flour or
broken grains for breeding purpose. Beetles are abundantly
present in broken grains and flour rather than full grains.
Management practices of stored grain pests:

● Use whole grain for storage.

● Storage area should be neat and clean.

● Low humidity, low grain moisture and low temperature

should be maintained.

● Use metallic bin and other modern storage utensils for

the storage.

● Storage the seeds after drying.

● Use aluminium phosphide or Celphos.

● Mix the seed with neem seed kernel extract or with

Bojho extract.
Thank You..