Abstract
Accumulated grain dust and flour residues in flour mills can potentially decrease the efficacy of contact surface treatments and aerosol insecticides used for control of adult and immature stages of stored product insects. A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of flour residues on the efficacy of piperonyl butoxide-synergized pyrethrin aerosol against different life stages of the confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val. Twenty individual adults, pupae, or larvae of T. confusum, confined in Petri dishes containing 0, 0.1, 1, 5, or 10 g of wheat flour, were exposed separately inside an empty shed to the label rate of the aerosol. The formulation contained 1 % active ingredient pyrethrin and the label application rate was 1.04 ml/m3. After 2 h of exposure, all dishes were removed from the shed and placed in an incubator set at 27 °C and 60 % RH. Mortality of T. confusum adults decreased with increasing amount of flour. Recovery of moribund adults 15 days after exposure was greater in the 5 and 10 g flour dishes (15 and 46 %) compared to the 0.1 or 1 g flour dishes (0.7 and 5 %). As the flour amounts increased, more larvae and pupae were able to emerge as adults. Results show accumulated flour residues during aerosol application can compromise aerosol efficacy, and also suggest the flour impaired penetration ability of the aerosol. These results also emphasize the importance of sanitation and cleaning to remove spillage and extraneous material prior to an aerosol application.
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Acknowledgments
We thank Brian Barnett, Rich Hammel, and Kris Hartzer for their technical assistance with the research and Entech Corporation for providing the insecticide used in this study. This research was partially funded by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Methyl Bromide Transitions program (grant number 2010-51102-21660). Insect voucher specimens were deposited at the Kansas State University Museum of Entomological and Prairie Arthropod Research under voucher number 226. This paper is contribution number 14-058-J of the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or by Kansas State University. USDA and Kansas State University are equal opportunity providers and employers.
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Communicated by C. G. Athanassiou.
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Kharel, K., Arthur, F.H., Zhu, K.Y. et al. Susceptibility of different life stages of Tribolium confusum to pyrethrin aerosol: effects of a flour food source on insecticidal efficacy. J Pest Sci 87, 295–300 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-013-0549-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-013-0549-z