The effect of Neem oil in controlling Khapra beetle Trogoderma granarium (Dermestidae : Coleoptera) and reducing its associated fungal isolates in wheat grains

Abstract

Abstract The khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium is an important pest of stored wheat worldwide. The current study was carried out to evaluate the lethal and the sublethal three concentrations of neem oil on T. granarium. We also assessed the effect of neem oil on the growth of fungal species associated with T. granarium infected wheat grains. The results demonstrate that treating of wheat grains with 5% neem caused the highest mortality of T. granarium (82.3%). The results were also shown that application of neem oil decreased the percentage of weight loss of wheat grains and the percentage of egg hatching. In addition, the total number of fungal isolates associated with T. granarium infecting neem-treated wheat grains were 4 fungal isolates, compared to 13 fungal isolates from untreated wheat grains. The results demonstrate that neem oil has potential use as a biological control agents of T. granarium; however, further studies under commercial storage conditions are required.