Olfactometer studies of Sitophilus oryzae l. feeding on sorghum and split pulses

Abstract

Behavioral responses of Sitophilus oryzae to odours/volatiles from sorghum, red gram, chick pea, black gram, green gram, fried gram and lentil were compared in olfactometer bioassay. Results indicated that sorghum populations were more attracted towards sorghum followed by split pulses. Whereas pulses populations were more attracted towards red gram followed by green gram, chick pea, black gram, lentil and fried gram. In eight arm olfactometer 65.33 per cent females and 59.33 per cent males of sorghum population oriented towards the uninfested sorghum grains at 30 Minutes After Release (MAR). The same trend was observed in infested hosts. The maximum orientation of females and males was observed in sorghum (74.00 and 64.67%) at 30 MAR when compared to uninfested grains. In case of pulse population 32.00 per cent females and 30.67 per cent males preferred uninfested redgram followed by green gram (24.00 and 22.65%) and chick pea (17.33 and 14.00 %) at 30 MAR. The same trend was observed in infested hosts, while 36.0 per cent females and 32.67 per cent males preferred infested redgram followed by green gram (28.67 and 26.00%) and chickpea (15.33 and 16.00 %) at 30 MAR when compared to uninfested grains.