Evaluation of Moulting Inhibitors against Larvae of Four Insecticide Resistant Strains of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst.)

Two moulting inhibitors, flufenoxuron and chloriluaxuron were evaluated against highly resistant larvae of four insecticide resistant strains of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). The resistance ratio obtained for all the four strains viz. DDT, lindane, malathion and deltamethrin were xl.12, xl.67, xl.29, x0.46 and x0.26 against flufenoxuron respectively. Since none of the resistant strains tested had a resistance ratio more than xl.68 to either of the two moulting inhibitors, tested, showed that resistance to DDT, lindane, malathion and deltamethrin in this species did not extend resistance to the above moulting inhibitors. It suggested their possible use in controlling resistant populations of T. castaneum.