Incidence and Diversity of Stored Product Insects in Processed Millets

A study was taken up to know the incidence and diversity of various grain insect pests that attack processed millets retailed in the markets of Guntur district. Primarily processed millets of eight species (sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, foxtail millet, kodo millet, proso millet, barnyard millet and little millet) available in the markets were sampled for grain and insect populations and diversity indices were worked out. The indices indicated the existence of higher diversity of grain insects in millets. Out of the ten insect species noticed in all the millets together, sorghum and pearl millet recorded seven and eight insect species, respectively. Further, the results indicated that sorghum and pearl millet were more vulnerable to insect pest attack particularly by primary storage insects. In little millet and finger millet, the numbers of insects were negligible. Rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L.) was the most common species found in sorghum samples, whereas, meal moth Corcyra cephalonica (Staint.) and red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) were common in small millets.