Population growth of different stored product species on wheat, barley, and tritordeum

Stored product species can be developed in a variety of stored product grains. In this study, were compare three different grains for their suitability for population growth of primary and secondary stored product insects. In the first series, we evaluated the population growth and damage of Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae), Sitophilus granarius (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on whole wheat, barley and tritordeum kernels after 65 days. In the second series, three different percentages of whole and cracked kernels were tested: 100% cracked kernels, 100% whole kernels and 50% cracked +50% whole kernels, for Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). The results showed that tritordeum was suitable for the population growth of all species tested. In most of the cases, R. dominica showed higher frass production but S. granarius showed a higher number of damaged kernels. Cracked kernels were preferred by secondary pests than whole kernels and wheat showed the highest progeny production than tritordeum and barley. Overall, commodity, and grain type and percentage of cracked kernels can affect the population growth of stored product insect species. Results of this study showed that stored product insect species can develop in tritordeum and thus should be taken into consideration for further results as may be damaged during storage.