The toxicity of phosphine to all developmental stages of thirteen species of stored product beetles

Abstract The toxicity of phosphine to all stages of 13 species of stored product beetles was determined using large numbers of test insects which made possible more accurate assessments of mortality. Species tested were Acanthoscelides obtectus, Caryedon serratus, Cryptolestes ferrugineus, C. pusillus, Lasioderma serricorne, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Ptinus tectus, Rhyzopertha dominica, Sitophilus granarius, S. oryzae, S. zeamais, Tribolium castaneum and Trogoderma granarium . Tests were conducted as appropriate at 10, 15, 25 and 30°C, all at 70% r.h., with concentrations ranging from 0.013 to 2.96 mg/l and exposure times from 1 to 16 days. Sitophilus spp. proved the most tolerant, and in all species other than T. granarium , in which diapausing larvae were the more tolerant in longer exposures, eggs and pupae were the most tolerant stages. Phosphine was most effective at the higher temperatures, whilst long exposures at low concentrations were far more effective than short exposures at high concentrations. The use of phosphine to control these species of stored-product insects will only be effective at 15°C or below if long exposures can be guaranteed.

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