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Title: Biology and management of Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in stored products

Author
item MOHANDASS, S - KANSAS STATE UNIV
item Arthur, Franklin
item ZHU, K - KANSAS STATE UNIV
item Throne, James

Submitted to: Journal of Stored Products Research
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/10/2006
Publication Date: 5/30/2007
Citation: Mohandass, S.M., Arthur, F.H., Zhu, K.Y., Throne, J.E. 2007. Biology and management of Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in stored products. Journal of Stored Products Research 43: 302-311.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hubner) is a cosmopolitan insect pest of stored-products and processed food commodities. This insect has been a major problem in food storage for more than a century. Today, the control of Indianmeal moth relies heavily upon chemical control methods; however, there is a need for new control methodologies that is triggered by the changing pesticide laws and consumer preferences in many developed countries. There is a plethora of information in the scientific literature related to the description, distribution, biology, and management of Indianmeal moth and an equal number or more of such records exist among extension publications and other non-refereed articles. Here we review such information and present current knowledge that is available on some of these aspects of Indianmeal moth. Areas with potential for new research include, but are not limited to, quantification of stage-specific development times, oviposition behavior during the absence of immediate availability of food source; establishment of groups of food commodities that have similar nutritional values: estimation of biological parameters based on rearing of young stages on such commodities; the role of photoperiod on the induction and breaking of diapause under field conditions; dispersal behavior; monitoring population dynamics of independent, spatially isolated populations within a storage facility; and role of semiochemicals on regulation of field populations. Use of non-conventional insecticides such as hydroprene, and similar insect growth regulators may play an important role in the population dynamics of this pest and help in developing new management strategies using reduced-risk insecticides. Use of computer models for simulating the population dynamics and spatial analysis of local and area-wide distribution of Indianmeal moth will be useful in making management decisions.