Effects of Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Infestation on Abiotic and Biotic Quality of Stored Wheat

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The changes in quality of wheat or wheat plus dockage infested with either the granary weevil, Sitophilus granarius (L.), or the rice weevil, S. oryzae (L.), were determined over 20 weeks at 30°C and 70% RH. The quality evaluation criteria used were the changes in fat acidity values (FAV), seed germination, germ and endosperm damage, and fungal and bacterial infection. Thriving infestations (910–2,011 adults per 138 g wheat) of the two weevil species caused extensive germ and endosperm damage; significant increases in FAV, fungal (Aspergillus glaucus group species and Penicillium spp.) and bacterial infection levels occurred compared to levels in noninfested wheat or wheat-plus-dockage controls. Sharp increases in moisture content occurred in wheat plus dockage infested with S. oryzae, which multiplied faster than S. granarius.