Chemical intervention in Stored Wheat protects Rhizopertha dominica (F.) damage without affecting seed health

Significantly lower seed damage was observed in emamectin benzoate as compared to all other treatments. It was found that two months after treatment, the seed damage in emamectin benzoate (3.4%) was lower than that recoded one month after treatment, in novaluron (3.5%) and deltamethrin (5.8%), From one to four months after seed treatments, a three-fold (approx.) increase in seed damage was recorded in deltamethrin and water treatment whereas this increase was two-fold (approx.) in all other treatments. The seed germination, root and shoot length were not affected by seed protectants while total seedling lengths and vigour index decreased significantly in some of insecticidal treatments. The seedling length and vigour index was maximum in rynaxypyr treated seeds followed by emamectin benzoate.