LIFE CYCLE OF Oryzaephilus surinamensis IN STORED NUTS UNDER CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.

SAMANTA KATHERINA GONZÁLEZ; ANABELLA NERI; SUSANA BEATRIZ POPICH; MARÍA TERESA AJMAT

Tafí del Valle

Jornada; TUCUMAN BIOLOGY ASSOCIATION XXXIII ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING; 2016

Asociación de Biología de Tucumán

Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Coleoptera) is one of the insects which frequently infest stored nuts from small-scale farmers inthe La Rioja and Catamarca provinces, which constitutes a great phytosanitary issue.The aim of this work is to describe thebiological cycle of O. surinamensis using nuts as a host under controlled environmental conditions. O. surinamensisspecimens were collected from infested walnuts provided by producers from Chilecito and Famatina, La Rioja. The insectswere kept in a breeding chamber, with a temperature range of 25±1 °C and relative humidity of 40±2%; and fed ground nuts. Every 48 hours the number of eggs and their viability were registered; larval stages were determined and morphologicallycharacterized; pupal formation and emergence of adults was controlled.The full life cycle of O. surinamensis lasted between 36 and 45 days in the above conditions. The egg stage took up 3-5days. Four larval stages were described and the full larval period lasted 14-21 days. Pupal stage lasted 3-16 days. The adultis long-lived: this stage can last up to three years under these conditions.Knowledge of the biological cycle of O. surinamensis on nuts under similar environmental conditions to those of warehousesin the area will serve as the basis for the design of preventive treatment of this species with vegetable essential oils andextracts.