Applied Ecology of Stored-Product Pests

Abstract

48 6 Conclusions The relationship between the rate of increase of temperature was significant for A.siro, Aleuroglyphus ovatus and T. putrescentiae. By using real temperatures recorded in Czech grain stores, it was shown that the pest mite population increases only during 3.5 months within a typical 9-month storage season in central Europe. This result indicated that control of mites is recommended during these months when pests and allergens are produced, i.e. from September to mid November and in May. The addition of bean flour to the diet was toxic for all mite species tested, as indicated by the suppression of their population growth. Bean flour (i.e. admixture with food in a concentration of 5 %) is able to suppress any population growth, thereby keeping the mite population at the starting density. This is the first report that leguminous plant compounds suppress the population growth of storage mites.

48 6 Conclusions The relationship between the rate of increase of temperature was significant for A.siro, Aleuroglyphus ovatus and T. putrescentiae. By using real temperatures recorded in Czech grain stores, it was shown that the pest mite population increases only during 3.5 months within a typical 9-month storage season in central Europe. This result indicated that control of mites is recommended during these months when pests and allergens are produced, i.e. from September to mid November and in May. The addition of bean flour to the diet was toxic for all mite species tested, as indicated by the suppression of their population growth. Bean flour (i.e. admixture with food in a concentration of 5 %) is able to suppress any population growth, thereby keeping the mite population at the starting density. This is the first report that leguminous plant compounds suppress the population growth of storage mites.