Grain Injury Models for Prostephanus truncatus (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) and Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Rural Maize Stores in West Africa

• Published in: Journal of economic entomology 2000-08, Vol.93 (4), p.1338-1346
• Main Authors: Holst, N., Meikle, W. G., Markham, R. H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Benin; Biological and medical sciences; Coleoptera; damage; Edible Grain; functional response; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Invertebrates; loss; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; Models, Biological; Nigeria; Pests of stored products; Prostephanus truncatus; Sitophilus zeamais; Stored-Product and Quarantine Entomology; Zea mays
• ISSN: 0022-0493; 1938-291X; 0022-0493
• DOI: 10.1603/0022-0493-93.4.1338

Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) and Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky have been reported as the two most serious pests of stored maize in sub-Saharan Africa and smallholder farmers are in urgent need of guidelines for their proper management. In this article we investigate the injury rates attributable to these two species in terms of percentage weight loss and percentage grain damage, and we derive functional response models for the two species on maize. The models successfully described the progression of grain injury in an extensive data set compiled from previously published studies, comprising 46 time series of data relating maize injury and insect pest density. The grain injury models can be used in conjunction with predictive models of pest population dynamics to guide the development of integrated management strategies for postharvest maize pests in West Africa and comparable regions elsewhere.