Application of cold plasma For controlling the two stored product pests

Subject Areas : entomology and othea arthropods

Sh. Mohammadi ¹ (Department of Entomology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran)
S. Imani ² (Department of Entomology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran)
D. Dorranian ³ (Plasma Physics Research Center, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran)
S. Tirgari ⁴ (Department of Entomology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran)
M. Shojaee ⁵ (Department of Entomology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran)

Received: 2016-02-20 Accepted : 2016-06-01 Published : 2016-08-22

Keywords:

Abstract :

The Cold plasma as a new, eco-friendly and economic technique has obtained important achievements in various spheres and can be considered in the field of pest control.The aim of this study was to examine the insecticidal effect of The cold plasma on stored product pests, Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera.,Pyralidae) and Tribolium confusum (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae). Pathogenic stages of the pests were exposed to cold plasma in two conditions, without product and with 10 g of wheat, for different exposure times in various voltages of 5, 7and 10 KV. Each test was done on 20 insects in 4 replicates with control. Obtained results confirmed The insecticidal effect of The cold plasma on the pests. Larval stage was more sensitive than the adult and higher percentage of mortality was observed in larvae of T. confusum compared to E. kuehniella. Changes in physical parameters of cold plasma such as increasing the voltage and exposure time of treatment caused more mortality.LT50 values at maximum voltage were 7.60, 11.94 and 9.57 s for larvae and adults of T. confusum and larvae of E. kuehniella respectively. It is hoped that by optimizing the equipment for commercialproduction of cold plasma we use it for controlling the stored product pests.