Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Activity and Germination of Corn Seeds Stored under Vacuum Pressure

Arturo Mancera-Rico (), Mario E. Vázquez-Badillo, Ernesto Cerna-Chávez, Miriam Sánchez-Vega and Elizabeth González-Estrada
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Arturo Mancera-Rico: Centro de Capacitación y Desarrollo en Tecnología de Semillas, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Saltillo 25315, Mexico
Mario E. Vázquez-Badillo: Centro de Capacitación y Desarrollo en Tecnología de Semillas, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Saltillo 25315, Mexico
Ernesto Cerna-Chávez: Parasitolgía Agrícola, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Saltillo 25315, Mexico
Miriam Sánchez-Vega: Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencia y Tecnología, Mexico City 03940, Mexico
Elizabeth González-Estrada: Socioeconomics, Statistics, and Informatics, Colegio de Postgraduados, Texcoco 56220, Mexico

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-13

Abstract: Warehouse pests cause losses in seed quality by physically damaging seeds, carrying other pathogens, and leaving residues of their consumption or their remains. Taking into account that warehouse pests have higher metabolism rates than seeds, in the present study, the viability of Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky & V.de, 1855) insects and the germination of corn seeds were evaluated for 93 and 180 days, respectively, under conditions of a partial vacuum (0.26 atm (atmosphere)), hermetic sealing, and air exchange. The partial vacuum environment (0.26 atm) did not negatively affect the germination of the seeds over a period of 180 days and resulted in the mortality of adult insects from the 4th day onwards; it also completely prevented physical damage to the seeds. The hermetic packaging did not negatively affect germination, but the insects remained active until day 34, and there was severe damage to the seeds used for their sustenance. Similarly, the gas exchange packaging did not affect germination, but the insects remained active until the last day of observation (93) and also caused severe damage to the seeds used for their maintenance. Partial vacuum (0.26 atm) storage represents a practical solution in certain conditions, for example, the short-term (6 months) storage of germplasms at room temperature (24–26 °C); it can also be useful in the storage and transfer of grains, with the possibility of eliminating or reducing the need for insecticide applications.

Keywords: maize weevil; germplasm; storage; oxygen; grain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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