The Influence of Different Treatments Causing Emigration of Nitidulid Beetles
E. DONAHAYE, S. NAVARRO, MIRIAM RINDNER and R. DIAS ¹
¹ Department of Stored Products, ARO. The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
Abstract: Experiments were carried out to investigate the influence of different modified atmospheres, low pressures alone, methyl bromide (MB) alone, and MB in combination with CO₂ or low pressure, in causing nitidulid beetles to emigrate from infested dried fruit for which dates served as a model. All the treatments at 4 h and 16 h exposure and at 26°C, had a marked influence in causing insects to abandon the infested fruit. The most effective treatments at the two exposures were pressures of 50 mm Hg, and 1.4% O₂ in air, both of which caused over 87% of the initial insect populations to emigrate from the fruit. At 4 h exposure, 2.8% O₂ was less effective than 100 mm Hg or MB. At 16 h exposure, MB+CO₂ was third in effectiveness and 100 mm Hg was one of the least effective treatments.
Key Words: Dried fruit; infestation; nitidulid beetles; Carpophilus; Haptoncus; modified atmospheres; methyl bromide; carbon dioxide; atmospheric pressure.
