Development of grain weevils at different oxygen levels during hermetic storage

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Abstract: Storage of grain at low oxygen levels avoids infestation and preserves product
quality. To accelerate oxygen consumption in a hermetic enclosure, experiments were carried
out using different developmental stages from a weekly culture of Sitophilus granarius (L.).
Different numbers (25, 50, or 200) of four different stages: eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult beetles were caged and placed in sealed grain containers for 20 to 22 weeks. Oxygen levels were determined on a regular basis. In 30 l containers with 22 kg of grain, oxygen levels could be reduced to less than 3 % in most of the experiments. The higher the number of insects the
quicker the oxygen levels decreased. Increasing oxygen levels due to leakage allowed for some
progeny after the end of the experiment.

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