Pests Of Stored Products And Their Control

Stored products of agriculture and animal origin are attacked by more than 600 species of beetles, 70 species of moths, and about 355 species of mites, causing huge quantitative and qualitative losses and insect contamination in food commodities. This is an important quality control problem. This book, Insect Pests of Stored Grain: Biology, Behavior, and Management Strategies, provides comprehensive coverage of stored product entomology for the sustainable management of insects and other noninsect pests, such as mites, birds, rodents, and fungi, with the aim to mitigate and eliminate these losses of food from grains. The author, who has studied sustainable and herbal management of stored grain and seed insect pests in his research, considers sustainable management of stored grain insect pests and eco-friendly approaches along with the utilization of waste materials. Starting with a history of stored product entomology from the beginning to the modern era in detail along with an introduction of storage entomology, the book then goes on to cover a range of important issues, including Significant developments in the field of storage entomology Classification and identification of important stored grain insects Major stored product coleopteran and lepidopteran insects that infest stored commodities Estimation of losses caused by stored grain insect pests Factors responsible for infestation of stored grain insects Different storage structures Alternative methods for the management of stored grain insects by utilization of behavior modification techniques or utilization of secondary metabolites of plants Fumigation of stored grains for the protection of infestation Insect Pests of Stored Grain: Biology, Behavior, and Management Strategies covers a vast amount of valuable information on stored product entomology for the sustainable management of insects and other noninsect pests.

This book is intended to serve as an introduction to the pests of stored foodstuffs of all types on a worldwide basis, and as a broad reference text. It is aimed at being complementary to the more detailed and more specific texts that are listed in the References. It does presuppose an adequate basic knowledge of entomology and zoology in the user. The stored products mentioned in the text are commercial products in the widest sense, including all types of plant and animal materials in addition to grain and prepared foodstuffs. Storage is viewed very broadly, from one day on a shelf to several years in a silo, or refrigerated store at -20°C. In many publications the produce surveyed has been restricted to stored grains, because of their obvious importance to human society, and because of the great quantities involved. For many different materials, of both plant and animal origin, there is a shortage of specific information, but it is to be hoped that this situation will gradually be rectified. It should be clearly understood that any reference to animal pests is made in the strict zoological sense, and refers to any members of the Kingdom Animalia. There is a regrettable tendency in some circles to use the term ‘animal’ as being synonymous with ‘mammal’ – a habit to be deplored! There is definite emphasis on animal pests in this text, but micro-organisms are included where relevant.

Insect infestations in grains and other stored food and fibre products cause annual losses worth many millions of dollars worldwide. This illustrated guide enables specialists and non-specialists to distinguish the major pests of durable stored products found throughout the world. It describes how to identify each pest group or species and summarises the latest information on their biology, ecology, geographical distribution, the damage they cause and their economic importance. Hundreds of colour photographs illustrate the identifying features of the most important beetles, moths, psocids, bugs and wasps found in stored products. Essential details on inspection and trapping are included to aid in the early detection of infestations, allowing more time to plan and undertake effective pest control. An extensive bibliography provides a convenient entry point to the specialised literature on these insects. This concise yet comprehensive reference is an essential tool for people responsible for the storage and handling of dried durable products of plant and animal origin worldwide.

In Indian context.

The objective of this book is to describe approximately 90 major international insects and other pests that infest stored agricultural products. After a short introductory section that considers post-harvest crop losses, the types of damage done by pests, the nature of storage structures, pest types and their general systematics and biology, each pest is considered within the same framework for ease of reference and comparison. Distribution, biology, type of damage and control are all considered and an original line drawing of each pest is provided. Emphasis is laid on the simplest, cheapest and most effective methods of integrated pest control. The book is mainly concerned with insect pests, but it also discusses arachnids (spiders and mites), birds, mammals and fungi. Appendices list the pesticides used in stored products control and list the plants with natural anti-pest immunity. It may be useful for anyone concerned with minimising pest-related crop losses.

A pocket reference that allows the non-specialist to identify major insect and arachnid pests found in stored cereal grains, grain products and grain legumes. It describes most storage pests found worldwide and provides concise information on the biology, distribution, damage and economic importance of each species. Each entry contains at least one color photograph. The notes for each species tell the nature of the pest or beneficial and the commodity affected; temperature and humidity conditions at which the species can survive; optimum conditions at which eggs take the shortest time to develop into adults; and maximum population growth rate per month. This new edition covers twice as many species and includes more detail on distribution, host range and pest status than the previous edition. Short introductory sections on insect biology, principles of control and concepts of pest status evaluation have also been added. This handy pocket guide is designed to complement the more comprehensive book Insects of Stored Productsalso by David Rees. Features * A unique colour illustrated pocket guide to pests of durable stored food and fiber commodities * Each species illustrated with concise information on distribution, host range * In this new updated edition additional species have been added to give it a worldwide coverage * Additional information also provided in this edition on control, host range, biology, distribution and pest status of covered species