Research Article

Management of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius) by using Microwave Oven

Muhammad Nauman, Unsar Naeem-Ullah*, Mehreen Hanif, Hafsah Ghaffar, Muhammad Shahid and Syed Haroon Masood Bokhari

Institute of Plant Protection (IPP), Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture Multan, Pakistan.

Received | July 16, 2020; Accepted | October 07, 2020; Published | December 04, 2020

*Correspondence | Unsar Naeem-Ullah, Institute of Plant Protection (IPP), Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture Multan, Pakistan; Email: [email protected]

Citation | Nauman, M., Naeem-Ullah, U., Hanif, M., Ghaffar, H., Shahid, M., Bokhar, S.H.M., 2020. Management of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius) by using microwave oven. Journal of Innovative Sciences, 6(2): 132-136.

DOI | http://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.jis/2020/6.2.132.136

Keywords | Disinfestation, Pakistan, Radiations, Rhyzopertha dominica, Tribolium castaneum

1. Introduction

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) belongs to Gramineae family is the most well known staple cereal crop of the world. It is also the staple food of Pakistan. Investigations exhibit that 72% of Pakistan daily caloric diet is accomplished through wheat flour (FAS, 2019). According to Pakistan grain and feed annual report, the harvested wheat crop forecast was 26.3 million metric tons during year of 2018-2019 (Raza, 2018). It has very important nutritional value (Hailu, 2018). Because it has essential dietary fibers, protein, minerals and protein sources which are excellent for health building (Kumar et al., 2011). Some essential traces of minerals like magnesium and selenium that are essential for better health are present in it (Topping, 2007). The embryo of wheat seeds is rich in B-vitamins and fats (Adams et al., 2002). These pests can affect by various influential factors during storage and transportation. Among them insect- pests are very important biotic agents that cause serious infestation. They reduce both quality and quantity of the grains by prevailing their population (Singh et al., 2009).

Among variety of pests the two most damaging stored grain insect pests like red flour beetle, T. castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and lesser grain borer, R. dominica (Coleotpera: Bostrichidae) cause considerable economic loss to stored cereal grains and their by-products every year (Chen et al., 2015). T. castaneum is known as cosmopolitan insect- pest of wheat and its various by-products. It causes change in color, odour and also pollute the wheat flour with cast skins and excreta (Bosly and Kawanna, 2014). These beetles cause weight loss of sound grains by feeding on them over a certain period of time (Ali et al., 2009). Being serious pests of stored grains they attack numerous products of wheat such as cereals, flour, spices, nuts, beans, meal and seeds etc. (Weston and Rattlingourd, 2000). The R. dominica infestation cause weight deterioration, reduction in nutrient contents and essential amino acids. These results are in reduction in germination ability (Arthur et al., 2012).

T. castaneum and R. dominica management is a great challenge particularly without using of pesticides because they have bad impacts on environment. The control of most damaging pests in grain storage houses is done through different fumigants like methyl bromide and phosphine (Zettler and Arthur, 2000). But they are not good for environment and causing ozone layer reduction (Yagi et al., 1993). Their uses are completely bane and only considered under Montreal protocol (UNEP, 2006), because not safe for human health.

So the focus of research is on environmentally safe alternatives to manage these beetles in ecofriendly way. For controlling of stored grains insect-pests there are many safe, effective and simple methods are available without utilizing chemical insecticides specially. Among various eco-friendly methods microwaving a most useful method for the managing of insects in stored grains commodities without using insecticides (Wang et al., 2003; Vadivambal et al., 2010). Stored wheat grains and its by-products disinfestation by using microwave has been well studied against stored grain insects (Halverson et al., 2003; Vadivambal et al., 2007; Das et al., 2013; Agha et al., 2017).

Our study is focusing on the judicious use of microwaves to disinfest the wheat against the adult stages of T. castaneum and R. dominica.From this we can control its population to flare up and from economic damage. Microwave treatment effects on germination capability of wheat seeds is also determined.

 

2. Materials and Methods

2.1 Insect rearing

The study was conducted at Ecology lab of MNS- University of Agriculture, Multan. Cultures of both T. castaneum and R. dominica were reared on whole and broken wheat grains along with flour. The insects along with their diet kept in plastic jar of 2 kg. The jar was covered with a fine mesh allow proper ventilation and stop escaping of insects. The jars were placed in incubator at temperature 30±2˚C and relative humidity 60-65% for their maximum development.

2.2 Microwave oven exposure

In experiment a digital microwave oven (Model: HMN-45110EGB) of Haier electronics company having 50Hz frequency with 1100-watt power was used. Following exposure time like 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 seconds was used. On control treatment there were no application of microwave radiation applied and output was zero.

2.3 Mortality determination

Fifteen grams of healthy grains are placed in plastic petri dish. Five adults of T. castaneum and R. dominica were transfer to petri dishes for making replications. For each treatment three replications were used. These replications treated in oven according to different time as described in previous section. Data of the treatments were taken after 30 minutes and 24 hours. The dead stage of insects was also checked by probing with small fine camel hair brush and needle. They showed no response.

2.4 Determination of germination

The wheat seeds after treatment with microwave radiations are utilized for germination evaluation. In this experiment, counted 25 seeds were placed in each petri dishes having diameter of 9 cm. The bottom and upper part of petri dishes were covered with whatmann no. 3 filter paper to retain maximum moisture. Petri dishes were kept at 25˚C and data were recorded after 7 days.

2.5 Statistical analysis

Data are recorded and analyzed by using Statistix software (8.1). The significance between mortality and germination at different exposure times was done by using Analysis of variance (ANOVA). Grouping and comparison of means were evaluated by using Tukey test.

 

3. Results and Discussion

3.1 Mortality of T. castaneum

The laboratory conducted experiment showed that the mortality of T. castaneum and R. dominica are expressively affected by the radiations of microwave oven (Table 1). The results found to be highly significant at the exposures of 20, 30 and 40 sec. after 30 min of data observing (f =27.94, df= 4, P =0.000) as well as after 24 hours (f=114.50, df= 4, P=0.000). Under similar conditions the control mortality percentages were zero. Results depicts that mortality reached 100% on exposure of 30 and 40 sec. But very few mortalities happened in exposure of 10 sec. i.e. 26% and 33% mortality after 30min and 24 hours respectively.

3.2 Mortality of R. dominica

No mortality of R. dominica was recorded in control. Highest mortality was found (f =342, df= 4, P =0.000) during data recording after 30 min at the exposures of 20, 30 and 40 and same results observed (f =139.43, df= 4, P =0.000) after 24 hours. On the other hand, only 10 sec. exposure caused 30% and 37% mortalities on aforementioned time.

 

Table 1: Mortality rate of T. castaneum and R. dominica in relation with exposure time.

	Exposure time (Sec)	Mortality determination
		30 min	24 hours
		Mean±SE	Mean±SE
T. castaneum
	10	26.667b±6.667	33.333b±6.666
	20	66.667a±17.638	86.667a±6.666
	30	100a±00.00	100a±00.00
	40	100a±00.00	100a±00.00
	0	00.00b±00.00	00.00c±00.00
R. dominica
	10	30b±5.7735	36.667b±8.819
	20	100a±00.00	100a±00.00
	30	100a±00.00	100a±00.00
	40	100a±00.00	100a±00.00
	0	00.00b±00.00	00.00c±00.00

 

3.3 Germination results

Germination ability of wheat grains is main concerned after treated with microwave radiations. The values show that T. castaneum treated wheat grain of 0, 10 and 20 sec exposed show higher germination percentage (f=113.83, df= 4, P=0.000) as shown in Figure 1. The R. dominica treated grains also show maximum germination percentage (f =46.43, df = 4, P =0.001) after 7th day at 0, 10 and 20 sec exposed grains (Figure 2). The germination% decreases when exposure time increased after exposure of 30 and 40 sec.

 

 

Figure 1 show that T. castaneum treated 10 and 20 sec exposed grain show100% germination occurred as shown in Figure 1. But the of 30 and 40 sec exposed were decreased by the increasing in time exposure of microwave radiations.

 

 

The R. dominica treated 10 and 20 sec exposed grains gives nearly 95% and 90% germination as shown in Figure 2. But germination % decreases when exposure time increased.

Current researches have showed that microwave treatment is very suitable method to replace other previous techniques. Safe environment, controlled heating and minimum energy utilization are some important characteristics of this technique. Yadav et al. (2014) reported that the safe option for the killing of insects-pests in stored grains without chemical methods is microwave applications. Because it cannot leave any unwanted residues and very suitable and safe strategy for the proper infestation. Microwave disinfestations competitive method than fumigation and also give no side effects like environmental pollution.

Our studies confirm that the increase in time exposure of microwave oven radiations directly increase the mortalities of T. castaneum and R. dominica adult stages. Similar result found by Agha et al. (2017) that mortality increases with increase in exposure time. They observed that high mortality 90% occurred at 840 watt output power when exposure time was 50 sec. against Khapra and Red flour beetles. In our experiment mortality of the insects is greatly influenced by various exposure times. The T. castaneum adultsat 20 sec. exposure show maximum mortality and complete mortalities happened when exposure time 30 and 40 sec. But El-Naggar et al. (2011) concluded that the mortality of T. confusum all stages were occurred at 50 sec exposures to microwave radiation at 50°C. Same in situation of R. dominica adults exposure of 20 sec exhibit 100% mortality. El-Naggar et al. (2011) have been confirmed that 50 sec exposure of microwave radiations at 50°Ccaused mortalities of all stages R. dominica.

Our research also acknowledges that the high exposures times 30, 40 sec decreased the germination capability in case of T. castaneum and R. dominica treated grains. In contrast to Abu-Elsaoud (2015) in Egypt reported that wheat cultivar Sids-1 requires 240 seconds exposure of microwave radiations at 2.45 GHz to show maximum germination. The increase or decrease in the time of microwave radiations exposures show great effects on the germination percentage of the wheat grains. Therefore, the limited and authentic exposures of microwave radiation frequencies should be applied in disinfestation of wheat grains to save their nutritional qualities. The increase and decrease in exposure time is directly dependent on mortality and germination of the wheat grains.

 

Conclusions and Recommendations

The 20 sec exposure of microwave oven can be used to disinfest these T. castaneum and R. dominica without disturbing their germination potential. Better estimate can be created if 20 sec exposure time can kill adult stage of these pestiferous insects without disturbing the germination potential of the wheat seeds or grains. Then the larvae, pupae or eggs stage how much effected by this exposure time. This research too much helpful for the raw products of wheat like flour etc. also if they are infested with these pests by using microwave exposure of 20sec the eradication can be easily done without disturbing their qualities. This disinfesting approach consume less time and cannot influence the end use quality of the wheat products.

 

Acknowledgement

We are thankful to Prof. Dr. Shafqat Saeed for providing lab facility. We are also grateful to our MSc. Scholar Mr. Muhammad Ramzan for meaningful guidance and assistance.

 

Novelty Statement

The exposure of wheat grains for 20 seconds to Microwave oven radiations is enough for disinfestation of grains from Tribolium castaneum and Rhyzopertha dominica, and does not affect the germination of the seeds.

 

Author’s Contribution

MN, MH and MS conducted the trials. HG, SHMB reviewed the manuscript, and UN-U designed the research.

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

 

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