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Title: DEVELOPMENT, REPRODUCTION, AND CONTROL OF THE INDIANMEAL MOTH PLODIA INTERPUNCTELLA (HUBNER) (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE), IN STORED SEED GARLIC IN MEXICO

Author
item PEREZ-MENDOZA, JOEL - 5430-05-30
item AGUILERA-PENA, M - CAMPO EXP BAJIO, MX

Submitted to: Journal of Stored Products Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/17/2003
Publication Date: 4/1/2004
Citation: Perez-Mendoza, J., Aguilera-Pena, M. 2004. Development, reproduction, and control of the indianmeal moth plodia interpunctella (hubner) (lepidoptera: pyralidae), in stored seed garlic in mexico. Journal Of Stored Products Research 40: 409-421.

Interpretive Summary: The Indianmeal moth is the most destructive pest of stored seed garlic in Mexico. Larval feeding damage not only causes weight loss to the bulb itself, but makes the bulbs much more susceptible to secondary invasion by fungi and bacteria that cause rots and deterioration. Little information about the development and control of this pest in garlic is available. Based on our results, garlic was a suitable diet for this strain of Indianmeal moth. Larval development was similar to that on other foods. Application of pirimiphos-methyl and malathion to garlic did not completely prevent bulb damage by the larvae. However, bulb damage was significantly reduced compared with untreated garlic or treated with permethrin. This information will be useful for farmers and companies that produce and store garlic.

Technical Abstract: Developmental time, fecundity, and egg hatch rate were determined for the Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), reared on fresh garlic seed at room temperature in Mexico. Duration of egg stage averaged 4.7 days with an egg hatch rate ranging from 82 to 95%. Five larval instars were determined based on head capsule width. Total larval developmental time from egg hatch to adult emergence ranged from 42 to 47 days. Adult females began to oviposit within 12 to 48 h after mating with the maximum oviposition rate occurring during the first 24 h after mating. Mean number of eggs laid by females was 212 with a range of 117 to 303. Application of pirimiphos-methyl, malathion, and permethrin to 30 kg lots of garlic seed failed to prevent infestation and bulb damage by the larvae. However, compared with controls, percentage of damaged bulbs and the number of larvae detected during 12 weeks of storage was smaller on garlic treated with the four doses of pirimiphos-methyl and malathion.