PROJECT

 TOPIC : A STUDY ON PESTS IN STORED GRAINS AND THEIR CONTROL MEASURES. 

ABSTRACT 

 Insects are a group of invertebrates with the wide adaptive features, among the various groups of invertebrates insects are have a very close relationship with the life and existance of mankind .This project is the study of insect pest in stored grains like rice, black gram and dal. a large number of pests are inhabited in food grains. It is generally accepted that enormous losses take place in developing countries after harvest of crops .

The present study was conducted for a period of 2 month that is January to February, the study was extended to another one month to compare some commonly use Control measures like garlic, turmeric and camphor. All of them were effective to some extent each had its on advantages and disadvantages.

INTRODUCTION 

 Insects are a class of invertebrates within the arthropod phylum that have chitinous exoskeleton, a body consisting of Head,Thorax and Abdomen; 3 pairs of jointed legs compound eyes and one pair of Antennae. They are among the most diverse group of animals in the planet including more than a million species representing more than half of all known living organisms .Insects maybe found nearly all All environments although small number of species are reside in the ocean, a habitat dominated by another group of arthropods, the crustaceans.

 The present study is an attempt to measure the number of insect pests on grains like rice, dal and black gram  And also to know how to protect Stored grains from pest infestations at the home. Several materials were suggested  To protect the grains from pest infestation. 

Garlic is a strong smelling pungent tasting herb. It is widely known for it's Antimicrobial potentials. Garlic has insecticidal properties and show considerable toxicity to a number of pest species. Garlic makes an excellent economic non-toxic pesticides for stored grains. Tarmaric is a rhizomatious herbaceous perennial flowering plant of the zinger family, Zingiberaceae. Camphor is believed to be toxic to insects and is thus sometimes used as a repellent .It is kept in clothes on special occasions and festivals and also in cupboard corners as a cockroach repellent.

OBJECTIVE 

 The main objectives of the study are: 

To detect  the efficiency of natural products on pest repellence in stored grains.

To analyse the advantages and disadvantages of each controlled measure.

To identify the effect of Control measures on stored grain pest. 

MATERIALS AND METHODS 

 Materials are required are stored grains like Rice, dal, plastic containers, garlic, turmeric powder, camphor, black gam etc.

 For the study of pest on stored grains, different variety of grains such as the rice ,dal and black gram were selected .The selected grains were kept in separate bottles for a period of 4 weeks and then insect pests were observed ,counted and recorded. pests were observed during the month of February .The observation and counting was conducted periodically on every Monday evenings during the period of 3 months, in which the project was carried out. The control measures used are garlic, turmeric powder and camphor.

OBSERVATION AND RESULTS 

 The study was conducted during January to February the study was conducted on rice, dal and black gram. The observation was carried out in the evenings in every Monday.

 The number of pests seems to be increased as time passes. The approximate number of pests seems to be increasing. The growth of pest requires adequate temperature and moisture conditions. Pest grows well in dry and relatively hot temperatures. 

 Data observed during the period of study are represented in the table 1, 2, 3 and 4.Number of pests observed on different grains after the use of various repellence [ Garlic, turmeric powder and camphor] are also measured.

 Among the 3 ,camphor seems to be the most effective compared to other 2, this is because, after the application of  repellence  In all jar the least number of pest were observed in the camphor.

 

DISCUSSION

 Insects are highly efficient group of phylum Arthropoda, they are highly adapted to live under changing climatic conditions and in diversified environment . The interaction between insects and humans is broad. Some insects are useful to humans but some are harmful. The harmful insects affect man in different ways .

The pest attack crops and the crop pest cause tremendous loss of agricultural crops. Surveys suggest that approximately 22-30% of crop yield is lost every year due to pest attack .A large number of insects including many species of beetles,moths attack grains products in farmer's bins ,elevators, Mills, warehouses  and homes .For thousands of years insects have been a problem associated with storing surplus dried food with evidence from archaeological deposits and written records of the  infestation of cereals stretching back to 3000 Bc.

CONCLUSION 

 The project " A study on pest in stored grains and their Control measures " is the study of insect pests in stored food grains like rice, dal and black gram .A large number of pests are inhabited in food grains. It is generally accepted that enormous losses take place in developing countries after harvest of crops. The storage losses include loss due to insect pest, rodents, molds etc .The present study deals with the pest attack on stored grains . From this experiment we can conclude that a small amount of food grains allow the growth of different types of pests. Ideas of controlling pest infestation in stored grains at your home were drawn out. The first step in the involves the way in which the grains are handled and should be free from moist conditions . The study also reveals that natural methods are adequate enough for avoiding pests at home.