Comparison of population growth of Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) on conventional and zinc-fortified wheat flours

A laboratory study was carried out in which wheat flours of five conventional non -fortified cultivars (AAS-2011, Gold, Manthar, Fareed-2006 and Miraj-2008), one zinc fortified cultivar (Zincol) and two non -fortified lines (1620 and 1091) were offered to adults of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) to assess their oviposition, larval, pupal and adult emergence and developmental durations of eggs, larvae, pupae and adults. The results revealed that the lowest ovi position was recorded on Zincol, while the highest fecundity was recorded on flour of cultivar Gold. Contrarily, the incubation period of T. castaneum eggs was extended on Zincol flour as compared to the rest of the cultivars and lines. Similar trends were also observed for the number of hatched larvae, larval period duration, pupation, pupal period duration, adult emergence, and adult long evity. Overall, Zincol flour red uced the production of eggs, larvae, pupae and adults of T . castaneum and extended their developmental durations. Our study suggested that zinc-fortified wheat cultivar negatively affected the reproductive potential of T. castaneum and h inders its development. Hen ce, it is concluded that zinc-fortified wheat cultivars can play important roles in integrated pest management (IPM) of wheat for long -term storage.