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Insects
Special Issues
Integrated Pest Management in Stored Products
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Integrated Pest Management in Stored Products

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Pest and Vector Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2026) | Viewed by 6730

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Adalberto Hipólito de Sousa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center of Biological and Natural Sciences, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco 69920900, AC, Brazil
Interests: agricultural entomology; pest control; stored product pests; botanical insecticides
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Lucas Martins Lopes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Instituto Federal do Amazonas, Eirunepé 69880-000, Brazil
Interests: entomology; pest control; stored product pests

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The storage of agricultural products necessitates preservation technologies to prevent them from deteriorating and becoming infested with insect pests. However, the challenges involved in storage are increasing due to the large volume of production and resulting insect pest infestations. Species that should be highlighted include Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Sitotroga cerealella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), and Acanthoscelides obtectus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). These insects are mainly controlled by fumigation with phosphine and applications of pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides. However, the constant and indiscriminate use of these insecticides has led to the emergence of resistant populations in several countries around the world. This Special Issue will cover vegetables and their derivatives, grains, seeds, oleaginous nuts, dried fruit, animal feed, wood products, museum artifacts, clothing, resins, and products that are normally stored for long periods. Manuscripts can cover concepts such as the taxonomy of insect pests and natural enemies; the effects of environmental factors in storage units on the reproduction, physiology, and behavior of pests and natural enemies; sampling and decision-making in pest management; biosafety and regulation; toxicology; insecticide resistance; alternative control methods; biotechnology; AI technologies; mathematical modeling; and storage technologies.

Prof. Dr. Adalberto Hipólito de Sousa
Guest Editor

Prof. Dr. Lucas Martins Lopes
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • storage
  • insects in grains
  • biosecurity
  • insect stress
  • synthetic insecticides
  • insecticide resistance
  • alternative control methods
  • bioinsecticides
  • semiochemicals
  • modified atmosphere
  • essential oils

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 245 KB  
Article
Comparative Efficacy of Carbonyl Sulfide Against Phosphine-Resistant and Phosphine-Susceptible Strains of the Rice Weevil Sitophilus oryzae
by Bong-Su Kim, Ji-Eun Choi, Jae-Ho Ban, Soo-Jung Suh and Jun-Ran Kim
Insects 2026, 17(3), 347; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17030347 - 21 Mar 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 588
Abstract
Recently, the occurrence of phosphine-resistant pests has been increasingly reported in many countries. In this study, the efficacy of carbonyl sulfide (COS) on phosphine-resistant and phosphine-susceptible strains of the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae, was evaluated to determine the applicability of COS as [...] Read more.
Recently, the occurrence of phosphine-resistant pests has been increasingly reported in many countries. In this study, the efficacy of carbonyl sulfide (COS) on phosphine-resistant and phosphine-susceptible strains of the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae, was evaluated to determine the applicability of COS as a fumigant to control phosphine resistance. S. oryzae at the egg, larval and adult stages was treated with phosphine and COS to determine the 50 and 99% lethal concentration time (LCt50 and LCt99, respectively) values. The LCt50 values of phosphine for phosphine-susceptible S. oryzae at the egg, larval and adult stages were 1.44, 0.63, and 0.66 mg h/L, respectively, and those for phosphine-resistant S. oryzae were 30.65, 17.60, and 8.37 mg h/L, respectively. In contrast, the LCt50 values of COS for phosphine-susceptible S. oryzae at the egg, larval, and adult stages were 284.19, 171.11 and 212.55 mg h/L, respectively, and those for phosphine-resistant S. oryzae were 289.78, 149.87 and 229.06 mg h/L, respectively. The COS-resistance ratios were 1.02, 0.88, and 1.08 for S. oryzae at the egg, larval, and adult stages, respectively. These results indicate that the efficacy of COS is similar for phosphine-susceptible and phosphine-resistant pests, suggesting that COS can be used to control phosphine-resistant grain pests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Pest Management in Stored Products)
13 pages, 999 KB  
Article
Characterization and Insecticidal Efficacy of Green-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles Against Four Stored Product Insect Species
by Daniel Martínez-Cisterna, Olga Rubilar, Leonardo Bardehle, Manuel Chacón-Fuentes, Lingyun Chen, Benjamin Silva, Marcelo Lizama, Pablo Parra, Ignacio Matamala, Orlando Barra and Ramón Rebolledo
Insects 2026, 17(2), 143; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17020143 - 27 Jan 2026
Viewed by 942
Abstract
This study aimed to biosynthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous leaf extract of Galega officinalis and to evaluate their insecticidal activity against key stored-product pests. AgNP formation was confirmed through UV–vis spectroscopy, which showed a surface plasmon resonance peak at 380 nm. FTIR [...] Read more.
This study aimed to biosynthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous leaf extract of Galega officinalis and to evaluate their insecticidal activity against key stored-product pests. AgNP formation was confirmed through UV–vis spectroscopy, which showed a surface plasmon resonance peak at 380 nm. FTIR analysis indicated the presence of plant-derived functional groups likely involved in the reduction and stabilization of Ag+ ions. Dynamic light scattering revealed an average hydrodynamic diameter of 25.07 nm, a PDI of 0.39, and a zeta potential of −22 mV, while TEM images showed predominantly spherical and polydisperse particles ranging from 4.3 to 42.4 nm. Insecticidal bioassays performed on Sitophilus granarius, Tribolium confusum, Plodia interpunctella, and Ephestia kuehniella revealed concentration-dependent mortality. The highest mortality rates were recorded at 1000 ppm, reaching 100% in T. confusum, 83.33% in P. interpunctella, and 76.67% in both S. granarius and E. kuehniella. These findings demonstrate the potent insecticidal activity of G. officinalis-mediated AgNPs and support their potential as environmentally friendly alternatives for stored-product pest management, warranting further studies on safety, large-scale synthesis, and integration into pest-control programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Pest Management in Stored Products)
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18 pages, 2887 KB  
Article
Effects of Microwave on Mortality and Detection Efficiency of Three Stored Grain Insect Adults in Stored Paddy, and on Grain Quality
by Shiyuan Miao, Yiting Zhou, Suisui Wang, Zhipeng Yang, Adrien Guverinoma, Yaru Zhao and Yujie Lu
Insects 2026, 17(1), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17010067 - 6 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1009
Abstract
Microwave heating has been widely used for disinfestation in the food industry due to its selective heating. However, research on the effects of microwave heating on stored product insects is still relatively limited, which has restricted its broader application in grain pest control [...] Read more.
Microwave heating has been widely used for disinfestation in the food industry due to its selective heating. However, research on the effects of microwave heating on stored product insects is still relatively limited, which has restricted its broader application in grain pest control storage. Therefore, this study evaluated the lethal effects of different microwave powers and exposure times on three major pests in paddy and investigated the impact of microwave treatment on improving adult detection efficiency, intending to develop a rapid and efficient detection method for stored grain insects. The results showed that the mortality of Sitophilus oryzae, Tribolium castaneum, and Oryzaephilus surinamensis increased with the increase in microwave power and exposure time. Specifically, 100% mortality was achieved for both S. oryzae and T. castaneum at 700 W for 60 s exposure. However, higher power levels and longer exposure durations exacerbated the non-uniformity of grain temperature distribution and adversely affected the germination rate. In addition, microwave treatment at 350 W, 490 W, and 700 W significantly reduced fungal load in paddy. The moisture content and water activity of rice decreased with the increase in microwave power and exposure time, while the percentage of grain breakage remained largely unaffected. These findings indicated that microwave treatment can effectively control insects and fungi without significantly altering the main physical properties of paddy. Notably, microwave treatment with short exposure durations (20–30 s) at all three power levels is conducive to increasing the recovery percentage of S. oryzae adults, while microwave treatment at low power (350 W) with exposure durations of 25–40 s helps improve that of T. castaneum. Accordingly, microwave heating is not only a promising strategy for protecting stored grains but also has potential for development as a rapid detection method for specific insect pests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Pest Management in Stored Products)
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16 pages, 1724 KB  
Article
Trap Count Characteristics of the Flat Grain Beetle Cryptolestes pusillus in Bulk Paddy Grain: Relationships with Insect Density
by Zhongming Wang, Miao Cui, Jiangtao Li, Huiling Zhou and Zhengyan Wang
Insects 2025, 16(7), 730; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16070730 - 17 Jul 2025
Viewed by 1043
Abstract
We studied the characteristics of adult flat grain beetles Cryptolestes pusillus Schönherr in trap counts and their relationship with insect densities using electronic probe traps in experimental bins, which contained approximately 1.1 tons of paddy (Changlixiang) with moisture contents of 10.7% and 14.0% [...] Read more.
We studied the characteristics of adult flat grain beetles Cryptolestes pusillus Schönherr in trap counts and their relationship with insect densities using electronic probe traps in experimental bins, which contained approximately 1.1 tons of paddy (Changlixiang) with moisture contents of 10.7% and 14.0% and insect densities of 0.1, 1.0, and 5.0 adults/kg. Inside each bin, we vertically installed three layers of electronic probe traps. We installed five traps at the center and half-radius of each layer of the bin. We undertook measurements of daily trap counts, grain temperature, and intergranular relative humidity at each trap location for up to 10 days, and 1.0 kg of paddy was collected from each trap location. At each of the introduced insect densities, we detected beetles using electronic probe traps. When insect density was 0.1 adults/kg, we could not detect the existence of insects in 1.0 kg samples. It was found that the trap counts were spatially nonuniformly distributed, and there was a weak correlation between different locations. There was a regularity in the temporal distribution of trap counts, which was significantly influenced by the paddy moisture content. Except for the insect density, the moisture content, grain temperature, and intergranular relative humidity at the trap location significantly affected trap counts. The distribution pattern of beetles in paddy bulks was found and aggregated by analyzing trap counts. There was a correlation between trap counts and insect densities in grain bulks, but this correlation varied significantly across different locations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Pest Management in Stored Products)
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16 pages, 1124 KB  
Article
Development and Population Growth Rates of Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Exposed to a Sublethal Concentration of Essential Oil of Piper hispidinervum
by Lucas Martins Lopes, Lêda Rita D’Antonino Faroni, Gutierres Nelson Silva, Douglas Rafael e Silva Barbosa, Marcela Silva Carvalho, Herus Pablo Firmino Martins, Thaís Rodrigues dos Santos, Igor da Silva Dias and Adalberto Hipólito de Sousa
Insects 2025, 16(7), 697; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16070697 - 6 Jul 2025
Viewed by 1745
Abstract
Essential oils have emerged as promising alternatives for pest insect control. However, sublethal effects on insect reproduction and development are rarely explored, despite their relevance to integrated pest management (IPM). This study evaluated the sublethal effects of Piper hispidivervum C. DC. essential oil [...] Read more.
Essential oils have emerged as promising alternatives for pest insect control. However, sublethal effects on insect reproduction and development are rarely explored, despite their relevance to integrated pest management (IPM). This study evaluated the sublethal effects of Piper hispidivervum C. DC. essential oil (EOPH) on the development and population growth of four populations of Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), as well as the persistence of safrole residue in treated corn grains. Population development rates were determined using emergence curves and total emerged adults, while population growth was assessed by counting live insects in the feeding substrate at different storage intervals. Safrole residue persistence was analyzed using solid-phase microextraction in headspace mode (SPME-HS). Sublethal exposure to EOPH significantly reduced the development rate, total emergence, and growth in three of the four populations. The population from Crixás, GO, showed no significant reduction, with a population curve overlapping the control. The lethal dose was reduced by 98.20%, indicating low persistence and potential food safety. The EOPH exhibited sublethal effects on S. zeamais populations, reducing both development rates and population growth. This reduction varied among the populations studied. Further research is encouraged to explore its effects on different insect populations and under broader environmental conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Pest Management in Stored Products)
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