IMPACT OF TRIFLUMURON ON REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF RED FLOUR BEETLE, TRIBOLIUM CASTANEUM (HERBST) (COLEOPTERA: TENEBRIONIDAE)

Red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, is a worldwide serious pest of dried, stored, durable agricultural commodities, and of many value-added food products and non-food derivatives of agricultural products. Sublethal effects of three concentrations (0.01, 0.02 and 0.04ppm) of triflumuron were evaluated on two field collected strains of T. castaneum at last larval instar for development and reproduction impacts. Larval mortality increased significantly both with increase in concentration and exposure period. Exposed larvae exhibited reduction in weight and increase in duration of larval developmental duration compared to control. Subsequent development of pupae and emergence of adults was seriously prohibited. However, the increase in fecundity and egg hatchability reduced significantly at all concentrations compared to control. Finally, subsequent development of surviving F1 larvae, pupae and adults was also severely interdicted. In view of these impressive ovicidal and reproduction inhibition effects of triflumuron against T. castaneum and having low toxicity to non-target organisms, it should be tested in flour mills, ware houses and food storages for the promising replacement of synthetic grain protectants e.g. pyrethroids and organophosphates