Stored grain insect pests and their management: An overview

Abstract

About a thousand species of insects have been associated with stored products in different parts of the world. A few pests are considered as pests causing severe damage to the stored grains. This paper gives an overview of damage symptoms and biology of some of the major pests of stored grains viz., Sitophilus oryzae, Rhyzopertha dominaca, Trogoderma granarium, Tribolium castaneum, Lasioderma serricorne, Stegobium paniceum, Callosobruchus spp., Sitotroga cereallela, Corcyra cephalonica, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Plodia interpunctella Latheticus oryzae, and Cadra cautella. The stored grain insect pests can be categorized on the basis of their feeding behaviour as internal and external feeder or as major and minor pests based on the severity of damage. These systems are developed insect management decisions.