Plant Protect. Sci., 2006, 42(4):125-129 | DOI: 10.17221/2770-PPS

The toxicity of bean flour (Phaseolus vulgaris) to stored-product mites (Acari: Acaridida)

Jan Hubert¹, Marie Němcová^1,2, Gamila Aspaly^1,3, Václav Stejskal¹

¹ Division of Plant Medicine, Research Institute of Crop Production, Prague-Ruzyně, Czech Republic

² State Phytosanitary Administration, Prague-Ruzyně, Czech Republic

³ Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

Legume proteins were shown to have insecticidal activity against stored-product pests. Grain enriched by bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) flour inhibits the growth of stored-product mites. In this study, we tested the toxicity of bean flour to storage mites under optimal conditions for their population growth (i.e. rearing diet, temperature: 25C and humidity optimum: 85% RH). Bean flour was added to the diet in one of eight concentrations: 0, 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5, 10%). The population growth of Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Acarus siro and Aleuroglyphus ovatus initiating from a density of 50 mites per 0.2 g of diet was recorded for 21 days. The enrichment of grain with bean flour suppressed the population growth of the tested species. These differed in their sensitivity to bean flour. Population growth was decreased to 50% in comparison to the control (rC₅₀) by the bean flour concentration of 0.02% in T. putrescentiae, 0.04% in A. siro, and by 4.87% in A. ovatus. The concentration of 5% bean flour in diets kept populations of A. siro and T. putrescentiae at the initial level. The results are discussed in the context of applying bean flour in the integrated control of stored-product mites.

Keywords: botanical acaricides; mite; storage; grain; food safety

Published: December 31, 2006  Show citation