Pairing residual contact insecticide use with long-lasting insecticide-incorporated netting to reduce dispersal and damage by stored product insects

Authors: RANABHAT, SABITA - Kansas State University; Abshire, Jennifer; Castaldi, Justin; Scheff, Deanna; BINGHAM, GEORGINA - University Of Nebraska; MCKAY, TANJA - Arkansas State University; Morrison, William - Rob

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/9/2024
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Long-lasting insecticide-incorporated netting can intercept insects, preventing them from establishing and starting infestations, and has shown promise for insect pest management before and after harvest in agriculture. It can also be integrated with existing integrated pest management (IPM) tactics to provide enhanced pest control. In this study, we assessed whether an insecticidal netting containing the insecticide alpha-cypermethrin enhances the effects of two different contact insecticides against the red flour beetle and the lesser grain borer. We demonstrated that the use of the insecticide netting and either Centanyl (deltamethrin) or Evergreen (pyrethroids) reduced adult insect mobility and prevented them from colonizing food new food sources for both species. Insecticidal netting alone was effective in reducing production of offspring by over 40% for red flour beetles and the addition of the contact insecticides with LLIN reduced offspring production marginally by an additional 8-19%. Together, the combined use of insecticide netting and residual contact insecticides evaluated in our study caused modest increases in efficacy and thus, there are benefits to combing both tactics rather than either tactic alone to manage stored product insects.

Technical Abstract: 1. Long-lasting insecticide-incorporated netting (LLIN) can intercept insects and has shown promise for pest management before and after harvest in agriculture. Understanding how to incorporate LLIN into existing integrated pest management (IPM) programs, such as with other tactics like residual contact insecticides, can significantly enhance IPM programs at food facilities. 2. In this study, we assessed whether LLIN (0.34% alpha-cypermethrin, BASF) may enhance the effects of residual contact insecticides such as CentanylTM EC and Evergreen® against the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) ( Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and the lesser grain borer, Ryzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae). We recorded their dispersal and progeny production in treatments with LLIN alone, CentanylTM EC or Evergreen® alone, LLIN + insecticide, or no treatment (positive control). 3. We demonstrated the use of both LLIN and residual insecticide with either CentanylTM EC or Evergreen® reduced adult insect dispersal to the food sources compared to the control, but only increased control of progeny production marginally by 8-19%. 4. LLIN alone was highly effective in decreasing progeny production of T. castaneum by 40% compared to the positive control. 5. Importantly, Evergreen® did not cause significant direct lethal effects or prevent progeny production when used alone against T. castaneum. However, the simultaneous use of Evergreen® with LLIN may offer complementary effects on mortality and progeny reduction. 6. Together, the combined use of LLIN and the residual contact insecticides evaluated in our study may have some benefits over using residual contact insecticide alone to manage stored product insects.