Research Project: Sustainable Management Strategies for Stored-Product Insects

Location: Stored Product Insect and Engineering Research

2021 Annual Report

Objectives
Objective 1: Identify and describe the functional genomics for physiological systems important to pest management (e.g., the digestive and sensory systems), for key stored product insects (e.g., lesser grain borer, red flour beetle). Sub-Objective 1.A. Sequence the genome of some key stored product pests. Sub-Objective 1.B. Conduct functional genomic studies of stored product pests to identify target genes for bio-rational controls. Sub-Objective 1.C. Evaluation of insect responses to insecticides and mechanisms of recovery and resistance. Objective 2: Develop and improve monitoring technologies, control tactics, and integrated pest management systems for stored product insects (e.g., cigarette beetle, lesser grain borer, red flour beetle, and warehouse beetle). Sub-Objective 2.A. Improve the management of outside sources of stored product insect infestation. Sub-Objective 2.B. Improve protection of bulk stored grain from damage by stored product insects through reduced risk approaches. Sub-Objective 2.C. Improve the effectiveness of reduced risk aerosol insecticides. Sub-Objective 2.D. Improve use of pheromones in integrated pest management programs.

Approach
Our research focus is the management of key pests of stored raw grains and processed grain products. Insect pests cause significant economic loss through direct feeding damage and product contamination throughout food distribution channels. Integrated pest management (IPM) approaches employing a combination of strategies are needed to protect domestic and international food supplies. Our research objectives target important data gaps in IPM programs, with an emphasis on reduced risk products and sustainable strategies that can be integrated to reduce pest infestation issues. We will conduct genome sequencing for several important stored product insect species and use functional genomics to identify targets for new biologically-based insecticides and evaluate insect response to insecticides. We will improve the management of outside sources of insect infestation through an evaluation of population structure and how insects exploit outside food accumulations. For bulk grain protection, we will focus on reduced risk insecticides and aeration to reduce the need to fumigate commodity. Aerosol insecticide usage inside structures is increasing as a structural fumigation alternative, so our research will focus on how applications can be improved. Finally, we will evaluate how pheromone use in monitoring and mating disruption can be improved through a better understanding of insect behavior. Successful completion of this work will result in new methodologies that will improve the quality of stored products, reduce economic loss, and contribute to the improved security of our food supply.

Progress Report
This document represents the final progress report for Project 3020-43000-033-00D Sustainable Management Strategies for Stored-Product Insects which ended in May 2021. Under Objective 1, "Identify and describe the functional genomics for physiological systems important to pest management," we made significant progress towards expanding genomic resources for stored product insects and developing tools and methodology for functional genomics of chemosensory and digestive genes. In addition, progress was made towards developing genome assemblies and functional genomics tools for several species of insects that can be used as food for livestock and aquaculture, which will be a key component of our next project plan. The first genome that was assembled was lesser grain borer (LGB), which was sequenced using a combination of PacBio long-reads and chromatin-contact maps. The result of this effort was a 450 Mb genome assembly that contained fewer than 150 scaffolds, a remarkable achievement for an insect genome. This effort has allowed us to identify genes that are important to biology of the grain borer along with markers for insecticide resistance. For example, this effort led to the identification of markers for strong phosphine resistance in LGBs that can be used to quickly determine whether a population is resistant. Due to our successes with LGB and the development of new tactics to extract high molecular weight DNA from insects for long-read sequencing by our team, we expanded our efforts to generate genome assemblies to include rice weevil (RW), another prominent stored product pest, and yellow mealworm (YMW), house cricket, and banded cricket, which are all important food resources for pets, poultry, and livestock. Like LGB, transcriptome resources were developed for YMW, RW, and the two cricket species to facilitate gene annotation and data was mined for genes to optimize protein and vitamin A production. This research will help facilitate the utilization of insects as alternate sources of protein for human and animal feed which is important for our ability to feed a growing world population. The infrastructure and methodology for comparative evolution of chemosensory genes in stored product insects was also developed to identify genes that could be important for the location of food and mates and understand how such a broad range of insects independently evolved the ability to exploit the same types of food and respond to the same food volatiles. This effort was made possible due to the development of consistent protocols for isolation of high molecular weight DNA from small insects by USDA-ARS researchers and new sequencing and assembly approaches developed by the USDA-ARS Ag100Pest initiative. Chromosome-scale genome assemblies have been generated for 20 stored product insects including, khapra beetle (KB), which is a quarantine insect in the U.S., and the larger grain borer (LaGB), which is a species of concern. Also included were Indianmeal moth (IMM), confused flour beetle (CFB), cigarette beetle (CB), drugstore beetle (DB), sawtooth grain beetle (SGB), merchant grain beetle (MGB), Angoumois grain moth (AGM), hairy fungus beetle (HFB), larger cabinet beetle (LGB), and several other species of flour beetles, which are in the progress of being submitted to public databases. Attempts were also made to improve the existing assembly of the red flour beetle (RFB) genome, which is a genetic model organism used to study developmental biology and insecticide resistance. These new genome resources are also being used to study population structures and movement patterns in LGB. Results indicated that genetic diversity of LGBs in the U.S. is highest in grain producing regions of the country, such as the Great Plains, and that populations from this region are common sources for infestations in other parts of the country. This finding is consistent with the idea that movement of infested grain from one facility to another is a primary mode of dispersal for stored product insects. Our new project plan will follow up on this study to determine whether infestations at a facility could serve as a source population for infestation of nearby facilities. In addition, we will also determine whether LGBs found in tallgrass prairies can serve as source populations for nearby food facilities and what food resources they are using in these habitats. During this research cycle, we collected insects for these follow-up studies and developed DNA barcoding protocols to assess diet composition. Progress was also made to develop functional genomics approaches to improve insects as food and to study the function of chemosensory genes in stored product insects. CRISPR and other transgenic techniques were developed for YMW, house cricket, and IMM. These approaches will be used in our next project plan and will be important for several new agency-wide efforts to improve insects as food, including a new Grand Challenges Synergy Project entitled, "Developing a model of insect production to demonstrate their value as a safe solution for food waste and sustainable fish and livestock production." A second project entitled "Harvesting Agriculture’s Natural Insect Farms" is a finalist in the ARSX 2021 competition and includes one ARS researcher from Manhattan, Kansas, and scientists from other locations. Under Objective 2, "Develop and improve monitoring technologies, control tactics, and integrated pest management systems for stored product insects" we vastly expanded pest management tactics that can be used in stored product systems. In addition, we tested new methods of insecticide applications that will reduce insecticide residues on grain and finished products that will eventually be consumed by humans and animals. One area where we have made significant progress is on the use of insecticide-impregnated netting and packaging that greatly inhibits insect growth and development, reduces movement, and results in direct mortality. The insecticide-treated netting is effective against adult and immature stages of several species of stored product insects including RFB and WB while the packaging materials successfully reduced infestations of dermestids. KB and LCB larvae exposed on the exterior or interior of the packaging did not develop to the adult stage and less than 2% of all packaging types were invaded. In addition, new methods of applying insecticides in stored product facilities were assessed and optimized, including an aerosol application containing a commercial formulation of pyrethrin plus the insect growth regulator methoprene. Our findings showed that the efficacy of aerosol treatments on insect mortality was inversely related to aerosol droplet size in the field. We also conducted studies evaluating different positions for releasing the aerosols in a pilot scale mill, to show how structural composition of milling facilities affects deposition. Field trials show that differential aerosol dispersal in field sites can be somewhat mitigated by optimizing aerosol release points, but structural barriers and equipment inside milling facilities still impede application. In addition, residual surface treatments were also tested and determined to be effective at controlling LGB and RFB on several different commodities. This product used for the surface studies is now registered with the Environmental Protection Agency for use in stored product insects. Several new grain protectants were also evaluated on different commodities and all were associated with reduced dispersal and movement and a reduced ability to feed on grain. These effects lasted up to 9 months after application. We also evaluated sanitation as a method for controlling stored product insects. Our research showed that management of outside food accumulations in and around grain milling facilities and can reduce infestations and thus, reduce the need for insecticide applications or fumigations. To improve the effectiveness of monitoring programs for stored product insects, laboratory studies were conducted to identify environmental conditions that influence WB and CB trap captures. Different trap designs were also tested for KB and other close relatives in the family Dermestidae. We determined that box traps with lids exclude dermestid larvae, while capture rates increased when the lid was left off. In addition, the positioning of this trap was also optimized to improve trap capture. Deploying a wall trap at ground level enhanced trap captures. In addition, new attractants and repellents are also being evaluated to improve attractiveness to lures used for traps. Many stored product insects feed on moldy grain and we have been evaluating whether fungal volatiles act as attractants and also or whether specific density-mediated cues may provide effective repellents for push-pull management strategies. In addition, relationships between trap location and season on insect captures were evaluated using long term monitoring datasets, and significant factors associated with temporal and spatial patterns of insect activity were identified. This will help with determining trap density and placement in monitoring programs. We also evaluated pheromone release rates for mating disruption and performed field tests in retail stores that demonstrated clear efficacy of mating disruption for IMM in these environments. To follow up on those findings, lab based studies were performed to evaluate how pheromones can be more effectively used in mating disruption programs, by testing how pheromones influence female behavior in IMM and the determining the fitness consequences of delaying time until mating in CB and IMM. These results can improve our ability to suppress insect populations and also more accurately predict the effects of mating disruption in the field.

Accomplishments
1. Netting with incorporated insecticide as a new management tactic for post-harvest pests. Insects from the surrounding landscape can enter food facilities through vents, gaps around doors, windows, eaves, and other openings, causing major economic losses to high value commodities. ARS researchers in Manhattan, Kansas, demonstrated the effectiveness of insecticide incorporated netting containing deltamethrin to disrupt movement of several different species of stored product insects in the lab and in simulated field settings. In laboratory testing, brief exposures to the netting successfully reduced insect movement by 2–3-fold and the majority of insects died 24 hours after exposure. In simulated field settings, the netting reduced successful colonization of food products by 98-100%. Traps covered with insecticide incorporated netting deployed in Kansas and Arkansas successfully killed dispersing individuals of at least 14 species of stored product insects. Brief exposures to the netting also significantly reduced survival of the quarantine pest, the khapra beetle, one of the most damaging pests to stored products. Additionally, incorporation of deltamethrin into packaging and hermetic storage systems was evaluated. Over 75% of larvae that contacted the treated hermetic bags did not move towards a food bait in wind tunnel tests and a significant reduction in feeding damage by khapra beetle in treated vs untreated hermetic bags was noted. Overall, our study strongly suggests that insecticide treated netting and packaging materials can be used in multiple integrated pest management strategies to protect commodities across the entire post-harvest agricultural supply chain and that deltamethrin has long-lasting efficacy and can be incorporated into packaging to protect commodities.

2. Quantifying risks of stored product insect infestations of gluten-free and low-gluten grains and flours. Stored product insects cause significant damage to wheat and wheat-based products, costing the food industry millions of dollars in lost revenues due to contaminated food and management costs. Alternatives to traditional wheat flour that are gluten free or lower in gluten have increased in popularity and the market for these products is now valued at over $21 billion USD. However, little is known about the ability of stored insects to infest and survive on these commodities. ARS researchers in Manhattan, Kansas, assessed the ability of stored product insects to exploit sorghum grain and develop on flour derived from sorghum and other grains. Red flour beetles could develop on oat, rice, rye, buckwheat, barley, spelt, teff, and sorghum flours, but that they developed more slowly on sorghum and quinoa flours. Additionally, red flour beetles laid few eggs on almond, cassava, coconut, and potato flour, while on other flours, eggs were laid, but the insects did not develop. We also determined that the quarantine pest, the khapra beetle, can cause kernel damage and develop on four different varieties of sorghum grain, although development time varied among the different varieties. As use of alternative flours increases, a better understanding of potential risk of insect infestations will be important for managers of facilities in developing effective pest management and monitoring programs. Additionally, the identification of specific physical or chemical factors associated with reduced susceptibility to stored product insects can help improve durability of stored commodities.

3. Improving the efficacy of phosphine fumigations for stored product insects. Fumigation with phosphine is one method to help control post-harvest insect infestations. However, resistance to phosphine is becoming common among a variety of stored product insects and the efficacy of these fumigations vary greatly in different storage structures. In order to preserve the efficacy of this fumigant as a treatment of last resort for stored product insects, it is important to be able to assess the susceptibility of a population to the fumigant, predict the gas concentrations (CT) needed to induce mortality, and accurately measure CT concentrations. To address these problems, ARS researchers in Manhattan, Kansas, tested a new inexpensive dosimeter system and compared its accuracy to more expensive electronic fumigation monitoring systems. We found that high-range tubes gave similar results to electronic systems and that the tubes were accurate for measuring CT values required to control both highly susceptible and resistant populations of lesser grain borers and red flour beetles. In addition, rapid diagnostic and genetic tests were developed for detecting phosphine resistance in field populations. Protocols for evaluating resistant are labor-intensive and time-consuming. However, evaluation of a rapid assay showed that the ability to recover after a 90-minute exposure to phosphine provides a reliable indicator of the resistance of 13 different stored product species and a new marker was discovered that can be quickly and accurately used to identify populations of red flour beetle that have strong resistance to phosphine. Collectively, these methods improve our ability to monitor phosphine fumigations in situations where other types of monitoring are not feasible and allow us to quickly determine the potential efficacy of phosphine in controlling field populations.

4. Expanding mating disruption for controlling stored product insects. Mating disruption is a useful tool to reduce stored product pest populations. In this approach, large amounts of sex pheromones are released, confusing insects and interfering with mating. Although this approach has been used in other agricultural systems, it has not been tested in certain post-harvest settings, such as retail stores and the optimal pheromone blends needed for successful mating disruption programs are not known for many stored product insects. ARS researchers in Manhattan, Kansas, evaluated the effectiveness of different dispenser densities at reducing populations of Indianmeal moth in retail pet stores and showed that the treatment could be effective, although it took awhile for populations to decrease to a low and stable level. In addition, laboratory studies were conducted that demonstrated the impact of delaying mating, similar to what can occur under a mating disruption program, has on number of progeny produced. This was evaluated for cigarette beetle and warehouse beetle, which are both species for which new mating disruption systems are being developed. Collectively, this research demonstrated the efficacy of this tactic under challenging conditions and the potential impacts of even incomplete mating shutdown and this information is critical for improving and expanding this pest management approach.

5. Expanding genomics resources for stored product insects. Over 50 different species of stored product insects are recognized as pests worldwide. Genome sequences can be used to better understand the complex biology of these insects and develop new tactics to reduce infestations and control populations. The red flour genome was sequenced in 2008; however, since then, few new genomes for stored product insects have been publicly released. Through a partnership with the Ag100Pest initiative, ARS researchers in Manhattan, Kansas, and other ARS locations implemented new long-read sequencing technologies to generate chromosome scale assemblies of 20 prominent global post-harvest pests. These new genome assemblies include the khapra beetle, which is listed as a quarantine species by USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the larger grain borer, which has caused major economic losses of stored maize in Mexico and is a species of concern for the southern United States, along with several established and emerging pests of stored products, including warehouse beetle, Indianmeal moth, lesser grain borer, rice weevil, drugstore beetle, and several different species of flour beetles. Collectively, these tools will be used to determine whether common features of chemosensory genes allow this broad taxonomic range of insects to respond to the same food odors and will ultimately lead to the development and optimization of new management tactics.

6. Optimizing aerosol insecticides for improved stored product insect management. Applying insecticides as an aerosol to get better coverage inside food facilities is a widely used part of integrated pest management programs in the food industry. However, there has been limited information available on the effectiveness of these treatments. Since the interior of food facilities is a very complex environment it is important to optimize applications so that consistent spray depositions are obtained, and to prevent the occurrence of zones that are either under or over treated. ARS researchers in Manhattan, Kansas, showed that droplet size distributions and droplet concentration varied considerably within a flour mill, and this resulted in spatial variation in efficacy against the confused flour beetle. Factors that impacted distribution of aerosol treatment included distance from application point, structure features, application method, and number and location of application points. The rate of insecticide droplet settling onto surfaces was also determined and it was shown that shorter treatment times could provide similar efficacy, while also reducing the cost of the treatment due to shorter facility shut down times. Overall, compressed gas sprayers produced more uniform droplet sizes and had higher spray coverage areas compared to handheld sprayers. Nozzle type in the sprayer also influenced applications, with an ellipsoidal nozzle producing a wider spray plume and a more uniform distribution of insecticide across the entire sprayed surface. Results of this study are being used to improve efficacy of aerosol insecticide applications for management of stored product insects while minimizing costs of application.

Review Publications
Arthur, F.H. 2020. Scientific manuscripts and the peer review process. American Entomologist. 66(4):36-40. https://doi.org/10.1093/ae/tmaa053.
Sammani, A.P., Dissanayaka, D.K., Wijayaratne, W.K., Morrison III, W.R. 2020. Effect of pheromone blend components, sex ratio, and population size on the mating of Cadra cautella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Journal of Insect Science. 20(6). Article ieaa128. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieaa128.
Agrafioti, P., Brabec, D.L., Morrison III, W.R., Campbell, J.F., Athanassiou, C.G. 2021. Scaling recovery of susceptible and resistant stored product insects after short exposures to phosphine by using automated video-tracking software. Pest Management Science. 77(3):1245-1255. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.6135.
Gerken, A.R., Scully, E.D., Campbell, J.F., Morrison III, W.R. 2021. Effectiveness of long-lasting insecticide netting on Tribolium castaneum is modulated by multiple exposures, biotic, and abiotic factors. Pest Management Science. 77(3):1235-1244. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.6134.
Sammani, A., Dissanayaka, D., Wijayaratne, L., Hettiarachchi, S., Bamunuarachchige, T.C., Morrison III, W.R. 2020. Effect of pheromones, plant volatiles and spinosad on mating, male attraction and burrowing of Cadra cautella (Walk.) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Insects. 11(12). Article 845. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11120845.
Morrison III, W.R., Arthur, F.H., Bruce, A.I. 2021. Characterizing and predicting sublethal shifts in mobility by multiple stored product insects over time to an old and novel contact insecticide in three key stored commodities. Pest Management Science. 77(4):1990-2006. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.6228.
Domingue, M.J., Scheff, D.S., Arthur, F.H., Myers, S.W. 2021. Sublethal exposure of Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) to insecticide-treated netting alters thigmotactic arrestment and olfactory-mediated anemotaxis. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology. 171:104742. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pestbp.2020.104742.
Bedoya, C.L., Brockerhoff, E.G., Hayes, M., Leskey, T.C., Morrison III, W.R., Rice, K.B., Nelson, X.J. 2020. Brown marmorated stink bug overwintering aggregations are not regulated through vibrational signals during autumn dispersal. Royal Society Open Science. 7(11):201371. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.201371.
Gerken, A.R., Campbell, J.F. 2020. Oviposition and development of Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) on different types of flour. Agronomy. 10(10):1593. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10101593.
Scully, E.D., Gerken, A.R., Fifield, A.N., Nguyen, V., Van Pelt, N., Arthur, F.H. 2021. Impacts of Storicide II on internal feeders of brown rice. Journal of Stored Products Research. 90:101758. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2020.101758.
Scheff, D.S., Gerken, A.R., Morrison III, W.R., Campbell, J.F., Arthur, F.H., Zhu, K. 2021. Assessing repellency, movement, and mortality of three species of stored product insects after exposure to deltamethrin-inocrporated long-lasting polyethylene netting. Journal of Pest Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-020-01326-3.
Filippova, I.Y., Dvoryakova, E.A., Sokolenko, N.I., Simonyan, T.R., Tereshchenkova, V.F., Zhiganov, N.I., Dunaevsky, Y.E., Belozersky, M.A., Oppert, B.S., Elpidina, E.N. 2020. New glutamine-containing substrates for the assay of cysteine peptidases from the C1 papain family. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences. 7:578758. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmolb.2020.578758.
Oeyen, J. P., P. Baa-Puyoulet, J. B. Benoit, L. W. Beukeboom, E. Bomberg-Bauer, A. Buttstedt, F. Calevro, E. I. Cash, H. Chao, H. Charles, M.-J. M. Chen, C. Childers, A. G. Cridge, P. Dearden, H. Dinh, H. V. Doddapaneni, A. Dolan, A. Donath, D. Dowling, S. Dugan, E. Duncan, E. N. Elpidina, M. Friedrich, E. Geuverink, J. D. Gibson, S. Grath, C. J. P. Grimmelikhuijzen, E. Große-Wilde, C. Gudobba, Y. Han, B. S. Hansson, F. Hauser, D. S. T. Hughes, P. Ioannidis, E. Jacquin-Joly, E. C. Jennings, J. W. Jones, S. Klasberg, S. L. Lee, P. Lesný, M. Lovegrove, S. Martin, A. G. Martynov, C. Mayer, N. Montagné, V. C. Moris, M. Munoz-Torres, S. C. Murali, D. M. Muzny, B. Oppert, N. Parisot, T. Pauli, R. S. Peters, M. Petersen, C. Pick, E. Persyn, L. Podsiadlowski, M. F. Poelchau, P. Provataris, J. Qu, M. J. M. F. Reijnders, B. M. von Reumont, A. J. Rosendale, F. A. Simao, J. Skelly, A. G. Sotiropoulos, A. L. Stahl, M. Sumitani E. M. Szuter, O. Tidswell, E. Tsitlakidis, L. Vedder, R. M. Waterhouse, J. H. Werren, J. Wilbrandt, K. C. Worley, D. S. Yamanoto, L. van de Zande, E. M. Zdobnov, T. Ziesmann, R. A. Gibbs, S. Richards, M. Hatakeyama, B. Misof, and O. Niehuis. 2020. Sawfly genomes reveal evolutionary acquisitions that fostered the mega-radiation of parasitoid and eusocial Hymenoptera. Genome Biology and Evolution. 12(7):1099-1188. https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaa106.
Brabec, D.L., Morrison III, W.R., Campbell, J.F., Arthur, F.H., Bruce, A.I., Yeater, K.M. 2021. Evaluation of dosimeter tubes for monitoring phosphine fumigations. Journal of Stored Products Research. 91. Article 101762. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2021.101762.
Kirkpatrick, D.M., Rice, K.B., Ibrahim, A., Fleischer, S.J., Tooker, J.F., Tabb, A., Medeiros, H., Gish, M., Morrison III, W.R., Leskey, T.C. 2020. The influence of marking methods on mobility, survivorship and field recovery of Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) adults and nymphs. Environmental Entomology. 49(5):1026-1031. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvaa095.
Asuncion, F.B., Brabec, D.L., Casada, M.E., Maghirang, R.G., Arthur, F.H., Campbell, J.F., Zhu, K., Martin, D.E. 2020. Spray characterization of aerosol delivery systems for use in stored product insect facilities. Transactions of the ASABE. 63(6):1925-1937. https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.14010.
Rodriguez, F.S., Armstrong, P.R., Maghirang, E.B., Yaptenco, K.F., Scully, E.D., Arthur, F.H., Brabec, D.L., Adviento-Borbe, A.A., Suministrado, D.C. 2020. NIR spectroscopy detects chlorpyrifos-methyl pesticide residues in rough, brown, and milled rice. Transactions of the ASABE. 36(6):983-993. https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.14001.
Sammani, A.P., Dissanayaka, D.K., Wijayaratne, W.K., Morrison III, W.R. 2020. Effects of spinosad and pinetoram on larval mortality, adult emergence, progeny production and mating in Cadra cautella (Walk.) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Journal of Stored Products Research. 88:101665. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2020.101665.
Arthur, F.H., Morrison III, W.R., Trdan, S. 2020. Feasibility of using aeration to cool wheat stored in Slovenia: A predictive modeling approach using historical weather data. Applied Sciences. 10(17):6066. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10176066.
Morrison III, W.R., Scully, E.D., Campbell, J.F. 2021. Towards developing areawide semiochemical-mediated, behaviorally-based integrated pest management programs for stored product insects. Pest Management Science. 77(6):2667-2682. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.6289.
Morrison III, W.R., Arthur, F.H., Wang, J., Yang, Y., Wilson, L.T., Athanassiou, C.G. 2020. Aeration to manage insects in wheat stored in the Balkan peninsula: Computer simulations using historical weather data. Agronomy. 10(12):1927. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10121927.
Athanassiou, C.G., Kavallieratos, N.G., Arthur, F.H., Nakas, C.T. 2021. Rating knockdown of flour beetles after exposure to two insecticides as an indicator of mortality. Scientific Reports. 11:1145. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78982-z.
Perkin, L.C., Smith, T.P., Oppert, B.S., Poelchau, M. 2021. Variants in the mitochondrial genome sequence of Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius)(Coleoptera: Bostrycidae). Insects. 12(5). Article 387. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12050387. LOG NO. 378692
Wilkins, R.V., Campbell, J.F., Zhu, K.Y., Starkus, L., McKay, T., Morrison III, W.R. 2021. Long-lasting insecticide-incorporated netting and interception traps at pilot-scale warehouses and commercial facilities prevent infestation by stored product beetles. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 4:561820. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2020.561820.
Gourgouta, M., Athanassiou, C.G., Arthur, F.H. 2021. Susceptibility of four different sorghum varieties to infestation by the khapra beetle. Journal of Economic Entomology. 114(3):1373-1379. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toab018.
Ocran, A.F., Opit, G.P., Noden, B.H., Arthur, F.H., Kard, B.M. 2021. Effects of dehumidification on the survivorship of four psocid species. Journal of Economic Entomology. 114(3):1380-1388. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toad066.
Scheff, D.S., Baliota, G.V., Domingue, M.J., Bingham, G.V., Morrison III, W.R., Athanassiou, C.G. 2021. Evaluations of the new deltamethrin-treated all-in-one hermetic bag for the control of the Khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium (Everts). Journal of Stored Products Research. 93:101839. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2021.101839.