Capacity of biodemographic developpment of Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) and Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) in stored cereals in Senegal

Abstract

To contribute to food security and reduce poverty among Senegaleses’populations through a strategy of integrated management of insect pests of cereal crops, experiments were conducted on corn and millet (in the grain form and flour form) to track development of T. castaneum and S. zeamais after infestations controlled. The mean duration of development of S. zeamais was 35.33 days in the kernels of corn. Its development was more favorable in corn stored in the form of grain but the grain was more resistant to Sitophilus after processing into flour. Millet was found to be more protected against attacks by S. zeamais. The average duration of development of T. castaneum was shorter in the grains of millet than in corn. The transformation of these grains into flour influenced the development of T. castaneum which was accelerated in the corn flour and slowed in the millet. The nature of the food affected the weight of T. castaneum when several grains were made available.