integrated pest management packages for stored paddy seeds

Abstract

newlinePaddy seeds are ravaged by insect pests in field as well as in storage. Among the newlineinsect pests infesting stored paddy seeds, the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.) newline(Curculionidae: Coleoptera) is the most serious one and it attacks almost all important newlinecereals under storage conditions with mild infestation in the field also. It is therefore, newlineimperative to save the stored paddy seeds from pest infestation. There has been extensive newlineand intensive use of various insecticides including malathion in storage premises for the newlinecontrol of insect pests. The continuous use of the insecticides has resulted in the newlinedevelopment of resistance to major stored grain insects to several insecticides. newlineWith these views, a study was conducted with the objectives of evaluating the newlineeffect of botanicals and chemical pesticides as seed treatment materials, finding out the newlineeffect of safer and newer insecticides as seed protectant, evaluating the effect of newlinechemicals as fabric treatment, use cold storage technique in controlling pests of stored newlinepaddy seeds and use traps as eco-friendly tool to manage pests of stored paddy seeds. newlineThe experiments were conducted in private seed processing units in Dharapuram newlineand Udumalpet of Tiruppur District, Agricultural Extension Centre in Udumalpet and newlineState Seed Farm, Pappankulam, Thiruppur district. Being major pest, Sitophilus oryzae newlinewas taken as test insect. Study revealed that among the four botanicals namely Sweet flag newline(Acorus calamus) rhizome powder, Turmeric (Curcuma longa) rhizome powder, Neem newline(Azadirachta indica) leaf powder, Nochi (Vitex negundo) leaf powder all at 5 g/kg and newlineinert dust rice husk ash 5 g/kg seeds used against S. oryzae the neem leaf powder caused newline90.3 per cent larval mortality and nochi leaf powder showed 83.0 per cent larval newlinemortality. The inert dust i.e. rice husk ash caused minimum of 34.0 per cent larval newlinemortality. newlineThe inert dust caused better adult percent mortality showed maximum of 62.9. newlineThe experiment on suitability of botanicals for long term storage of seeds