The effect of sugar supplements on some biological and nutritional characteristics of the Mediterranean flour moth Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Document Type : Short Article

Authors

1 M. Sc. Student, , Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran.

10.22092/bcpp.2024.364820.360

Abstract

One of the goals of biological control programs is to provide better quality food for the growth and reproduction of hosts, parasitoids and predators. The Mediterranean flour moth Ephestia kuehniella is one of the intermediate hosts for natural enemies in the world. In this research, the role of two sugar compounds sucrose and maltose was studied on the larval duration, pupal duration and its weight, adult longevity, oviposition rate and hatching rate. The treatments included control larvae (fed with bran flour) and larvae that were fed bran flour with sucrose and maltose sugars. The conditions of keeping the larvae were growth chamber (temperature 26 ± 1 ◦ C, relative humidity 50% and light–dark period 14:10 hours). Based on the results, larval duration and pupal duration in the larvae fed with sugar supplements was longer than the control.  The weight of the pupa, the percentage of healthy moth, the rate of hatching, and adult longevity were significantly higher in the insects that were fed the sugar diet than it in control. All parameters of feeding index were higher in larvae fed with sucrose and maltose sugars than the control, and sucrose sugar was ranked higher than maltose. These results show the positive effect of sugars on the nutrition, growth and fertility of the E. kuehniella and it can be the basis for further studies in the direction of using diets with richer food sources for the growth and breeding of this insect.
 

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References

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BioControl in Plant Protection
Volume 11, Issue 1
August 2023
Pages 149-154

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