EFFECT OF HOST MATERIALS ON BIOLOGY OF CIGARETTE BEETLE, Lasioderma serricorne (F.)

Abstract

The cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne (F.) is a serious insect pest of many stored products, spices and dried fruits. The experiment was conducted to know the effect of host materials on the biology of cigarette beetle in laboratory of the Department of Entomology, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU) during July to December, 2021. This research was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) consisting six host materials such as coriander, maize, rice, lentil, chickpea and wheat in free choice and no choice test. The mean incubation, larval and pupal period, adult longevity, and total life cycle ranged from 6.0-8.0, 23.0- 26.0, 5.0-8.0, 8.010.0 and 43.5-

51.0 days respectively on different host materials in no choice test. The average survivability of egg, larva and pupa varied from 61.38-78.90, 75.67- 87.87 and 74.65-85.20%, respectively in no choice test and 66.87- 79.75, 71.73- 87.87 and 67.31- 85.20%, respectively in free choice test. The mean number of adult developed on six host material

was 10.25- 80.00 in no choice test and 2.25- 107.30 in free choice test. The order of six host materials on the effect of duration and survivability of cigarette beetle is lentil > wheat > chickpea > maize > rice > coriander. The weight of pupa and larva was varied from 15.18-22.0 g and 6.03-11.98 g, respectively on six host grains in free choice test. Average number of adult developed from six host materials ranged from 10.25-80.00 and 2.25- 107.30, respectively in no choice and free choice test. Lentil was the most preferable host material of cigarette beetle and coriander was the least one in terms of egg hatching, larva and pupa survivability.