NICKOLAS G. KAVALLIERATOS
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CHRISTOS G. ATHANASSIOU
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CONSTANTIN J. SAITANIS
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DEMETRIUS C. KONTODIMAS
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ALEXANDER N. ROUSSOS
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The insecticidal effect of two azadirachtin-based insecticides, NeemAzal-T/S and Oikos 32 EC, was examined against adults of the grain beetles Sitophilus oryzae and Tribolium confusum on wheat and maize under different temperature and humidity regimes. The insecticides were applied at three dosages, equivalent to 50, 100, and 200 mg of active ingredient per kg of grain. Adults of the above species were exposed to the treated grains at 20, 25, and 30°C and two relative humidity levels (55 and 75%), and mortality was assessed after 14 days of exposure. All adults were then removed, and the treated substrate remained under the same conditions for 45 more days. After this period, the grains were checked for progeny production. In both species and both commodities, mortality increased with insecticide dosage. For many dosage-formulation combinations, mortality increased with temperature at 55% relative humidity but the reverse was observed at 75% relative humidity. Comparing the two formulations, NeemAzal-T/S was more effective than Oikos 32 EC at all the combinations tested. NeemAzal-T/S was more effective at high relative humidity, but the efficacy of Oikos 32 EC was not much affected by the relative humidity. Survival was high, even at the higher dosages, in some of the temperature-humidity combinations. Progeny production of S. oryzae in the treated grains was considerably higher than that of T. confusum. The results of the present study indicate that further dosage increases and longer exposure times are needed to obtain a complete (100%) adult mortality in all combinations tested. However, the feasibility of using higher azadirachtin dosages (>200 mg/kg grain) is questionable for cost reasons. Consequently, the use of these substances is not comparable to the use of traditional grain protectants, which are usually used at dosages of <5 mg/kg grain. Although azadirachtin-based insecticides can be used with success for protection of stored grain, our study demonstrated that under certain circumstances such an application may not be effective. Abiotic factors (formulation, temperature, and relative humidity) had a more serious impact on the efficacy of these insecticides than did biotic factors (target species and commodity).