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Title: Determining host suitability of pecan for stored-product insects

Author
item SHUFRAN, ANDRINE - Oklahoma State University
item MULDER, PHILLIP - Oklahoma State University
item PAYTON, MARK - Oklahoma State University
item SHUFRAN, KEVIN - Retired ARS Employee

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2013
Publication Date: 12/1/2013
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/58245
Citation: Shufran, A.A., Mulder, P.G., Payton, M.E., Shufran, K.A. 2013. Determining host suitability of pecan for stored-product insects. Journal of Economic Entomology. 106(2):1071-1074.

Interpretive Summary: Pecans are often held in storage for long periods of time before purchased by the consumer. During these times they may be exposed to stored-product insects; however, little information is available as to which insect species may feed and develop on pecans. An experiment was conducted to test how well various stored product insect species developed on pecans, and also how the condition of the pecans impacted reproduction. Insects tested were Indianmeal moth, sawtoothed grain beetle, red flour beetle, lesser grain borer, and rusty grain beetle. Four types of pecans (whole-shell pecans, cracked-shell pecans, in-shell pecans, and pecan nutmeats) were tested and compared with cracked wheat, a common and nutritive food for many stored-product insects. Larvae of Indianmeal moth, sawtoothed grain beetle, red flour beetle, lesser grain borer, and adult Indianmeal moth and sawtoothed grain beetle developed on cracked and nutmeat pecan diets. Rusty grain beetle did not complete reproduction on pecans. Knowledge that these pests can reproduce on stored pecan will assist pecan growers, accumulators, and storage facilities in preventing insect outbreaks on their product.

Technical Abstract: A no-choice test was performed to determine survival and reproductive capacity of stored-product insect pests on pecan, Carya illinoensis (Wangenheim) Koch. Insects used were Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae); sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Cucujidae); red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae); lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae); and rusty grain beetle, Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens) (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae). Fifty adults of each beetle species or 10 reproductive pairs of P. interpunctella adults were placed in 0.5-liter containers with either whole-shell pecans, cracked-shell pecans, randomly selected in-shell pecans, pecan nutmeats, cracked wheat, or glass beads and held at 28 C, 60-70% relative humidity, and 16:8 (L:D) photoperiod for 2, 4, 6, and 8 wk. Four replications of each insect-diet-interval combination were performed. Larvae of P. interpunctella, O. surinamensis, T. castaneum, C. ferrugineus, and adult P. interpunctella and O. surinamensis developed on cracked and nutmeat pecan diets. R. dominica did not complete reproduction on pecans. Knowledge that these pests can reproduce on stored pecan will assist pecan growers, accumulators, and storage facilities in preventing insect outbreaks on their product.