Acaricidal Effect of Different Diatomaceous Earth Formulations Against Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Astigmata: Acaridae) on Stored Wheat

• Published in: Journal of economic entomology Vol. 103; no. 1; pp. 190 - 196
• Main Authors: Iatrou, Styliani A, Kavallieratos, Nickolas G, Palyvos, Nickolas E, Buchelos, Constantin Th, Tomanović, Snežana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lanham, MD Entomological Society of America 01-02-2010
• Subjects: Acaricides - pharmacology; Acaridae; Acaridae - drug effects; Animals; Astigmata; Biological and medical sciences; Control; Data processing; diatomaceous earth; Diatomaceous Earth - pharmacology; Food Preservation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Generalities; Insect Control - methods; Invertebrates; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; Mortality; Pests of stored products; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Progeny; Protozoa. Invertebrates; storage mite pests; stored wheat; STORED-PRODUCT; Triticum - parasitology; Triticum aestivum; Tyrophagus putrescentiae; Acaridae; Tyrophagus putrescentiae; Monocotyledones; storage mite pests; Acaridida; diatomaceous earth; Stored food product; Cereal crop; Acariformes; Arachnida; Pest; Acari; stored wheat; Gramineae; Arthropoda; Formulation; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Invertebrata; Triticum aestivum
• ISSN: 0022-0493; 1938-291X; 0022-0493
• DOI: 10.1603/EC08213

Laboratory bioassays were conducted to evaluate the effect of different diatomaceous earth (DE) formulations against adults and immature stages of the stored-product mite species Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank). Five DE formulations were used in the tests: SilicoSec, PyriSec, Insecto, Protect-It, and DEA-P. The tests were conducted at 25°C and 75% RH, on wheat, Triticum aestivum L., treated with DEs at two dose rates, 0.2 and 0.5 g/kg. The mortality of mite individuals was measured after 5 d of exposure, and after 30 d the treated wheat was checked for T. putrescentiae offspring. Significant differences were noted among the DEs tested. Application of the lowest dose rate (0.2 g/kg) provided mortality of both adults and immatures that exceeded 78%, whereas the respective data for 0.5 g/kg were almost in all cases 100%. The adults of T. putrescentiae were more tolerant to DEs than the immature stages. Generally, PyriSec was the most effective against adults. Progeny production was dramatically reduced with the increase of dose. The results of the present work indicate that T. putrescentiae can be effectively controlled by DEs on wheat, at dose rates as low as 0.2 g/kg.