Host adaptability studies of Sitophilus oryzae L. feeding on split pulses

Abstract

A host suitability experiment was carried out at the Entomology Laboratory, Horticultural College and Research Institute for Women, Trichirapalli during November-December 2018 to estimate the comparative storage losses in different host crops due to rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae L. under room and controlled conditions. A completely randomized design (CRD) was used with seven treatments (T1 = sorghum, T2 = red gram dhal, T3 = chick pea dhal, T4 = black gram dhal, T5 = green gram dhal, T6= fried gram dhal and T7= lentil dhal) each replicated four times. The assessed parameters were per cent weight loss, number of F1 progeny and per cent grain damage. Red gram dhal was found to be the most suitable host of S.oryzae under room temperature condition with 28.14% weight loss, 58.25 adults F1 progeny and 93.50 % grain damage.