the Study of the Effect of Integrated Management Factors on Its Laboratory Control
A Master’s thesis in the Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, University of Kerbala discussed the molecular diagnosis of the sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis L. (Coleoptera: Silvanidae), and examined the effect of integrated management factors on its control under laboratory conditions.
The study was presented by the student, Wasan Fadhil Nouri Al-Awadi.
The study included the following aspects:
- Molecular identification of the sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, and detection of its associated bacteria for the first time in Iraq. The research applied modern techniques using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), which is considered faster and more accurate than conventional molecular methods.
- Investigation of the feeding preference of Oryzaephilus surinamensis. The main tested food materials included rice, lentils, flour, sesame, oats, shredded coconut, and mung bean, each evaluated separately, along with studying the insect’s behavior and biology on different food media.
- Testing the effect of two plant-based pesticides (Palazin and Tondxier) on certain larval stages and adults of the sawtoothed grain beetle to determine their potential as future insecticides due to their low cost, ease of use, and greater environmental friendliness compared to chemical pesticides.
- Evaluating the effect of certain nanoparticles, including zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnNPs), as well as the chemical pesticide Conan, on the insect’s biology and larval stages.
The researcher recommended the following:
- The adoption of modern NGS technology for molecular diagnosis of insects, as it is faster and more accurate than conventional diagnostic methods.
- The use of flour as a primary food source in future studies and experiments due to its high effectiveness in attracting the insect and achieving the highest growth rates within very short time periods, contributing to more accurate and comprehensive data.
- Avoiding the use of less attractive food materials such as lentils in experiments aimed at attracting the insect, due to their significantly lower consumption rate.
- Recommending the use of the pesticide Conan at a concentration of 0.4 ml/L within integrated pest management (IPM) programs for controlling Oryzaephilus surinamensis due to its high efficacy and rapid action.
- Conducting further studies to evaluate the effectiveness of these treatments against other stored-product insect species belonging to different orders and under various storage conditions.
- Expanding the use of nanocompounds such as ZnNPs, with improvements in application methods or increased concentrations to enhance their effectiveness.
