Impact of different foods on the development of Rhyzopertha dominica Fabricius (Bostrychidae: Coleoptera)

Fadil Musa, Saranda Musa

Abstract: To assess the impact of different food types on the development of Rhyzopertha dominica (Fab.), a study was conducted in laboratory conditions using several food types (wheat, barley, rye, corn, rice, and beans) in 2020. Several biological parameters were assessed, including egg development, egg hatching, the development period of the larvae, pupae, and imago, fecundity, oviposition, and the longevity of the pest. The egg period, on average, was lowest in wheat (6.17 days) and highest in rye (7.25 days). The larva hatching rate was lowest in beans (22.63 days) and highest in wheat (39.20 days). Larvae develop most rapidly when they feed on wheat (25.92 days), while they develop slowly (31.85 days) when they feed on beans. The pupa development was fastest when the larvae fed on wheat, with an average pupa development time of 4.01 days, and a transformation rate of up to 92% into adult insects. The impact of a food type on the development of one generation of R. dominica was also significant, with wheat being the preferred food for this pest. It takes 36.10 days to complete one generation. However, the development of this pest is slower when the insects feed on beans, taking 46.18 days to complete one generation.

Keywords: cereal and leguminous crops; Coleoptera; Rhyzopertha dominica; storage pest

Citation: Musa, F. & Musa, S. (2025). Impact of different foods on the development of Rhyzopertha dominica Fabricius (Bostrychidae: Coleoptera). Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 31(6), 1119–1125

Date published: 2025-12-16