EVALUATION OF THE MORTALITY EFFECT OF NATURAL ZEOLITE FORMULATION AND THE MODE OF ACTION IN THE PROTECTION OF DRY FRUITS FROM EPHESTIA CAUTELLA AND STEGOBIUM PANICEUM INFESTATION

Abotaleb, Abeer O; Zinhoum, Rasha A

doi:10.21608/mjapam.2023.284479

EVALUATION OF THE MORTALITY EFFECT OF NATURAL ZEOLITE FORMULATION AND THE MODE OF ACTION IN THE PROTECTION OF DRY FRUITS FROM EPHESTIA CAUTELLA AND STEGOBIUM PANICEUM INFESTATION

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Agricultural Research Centre, Giza, Egypt.

10.21608/mjapam.2023.284479

Abstract

The almond moth, Ephestia cautella and the drugstore beetle,Stegobium paniceum are considered the most destructive pests of stored fruits. In the present study zeolite clinoptilolite (ultrafine < 20 μm) was applied at different rates to dried dates and apricots fruits to evaluate its insecticidal efficacy against different stages of both insects. Mortality was assessed after 3 and 7 days following exposure to zeolite powder. The mortality of E. cautella and S. paniceum exposed to treated dry date and apricot fruits with zeolite was significantly increased with increasing rates and exposure intervals. The adult progeny production and the number of laid eggs were significantly decreased by increasing the zeolite rate. No bad effects were observed in chemical analysis of date and apricot fruits. In the present study, a scanning electron microscope was used to observe the effect of zeolite powder on E. cautella larvae spiracles exposed to zeolite-treated dates. The spiracle openings were observed to be contracted to prevent zeolite powder entry. The results indicated that zeolite, which is considered nontoxic to the environment and safe for human consumption, can be effectively used as an integral part of programs to protect dried fruits from insect pests of stored products.

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