Vol. 10, Special Issue 8 (2021)

Author(s):
Vasu Mehta, Radha Koranga, SK Prakash, Karthik Ramappa and Sanjay Kumar Sanadya

Abstract:
The target of production and productivity of various crops is increasing day by day and in order to achieve this target, losses including the post-harvest ones are to be managed and reduced. Developing countries faces more post-harvest losses than the developed ones due to many reasons (economical, psychological, technology, faith etc.). In order to achieve this target, we have to control insect-pests, throughout the food supply chain including their safe storage. For the management/control of stored grain insect-pests, synthetic insecticides are used in almost all countries, however, their undiscriminating use has resulted into many thoughtful problems including resistance of pest species and residues in food grains used for human consumption. Methyl bromide and aluminium phosphide are the two most frequently used synthetic chemicals as fumigants for stored grain protection, however, most of the countries have phased out them due to depletion of ozone layer and insect-pest control failures. Due to long and over use of phosphine, many insect-pests have gained resistance/tolerance to its fumigation in most of the countries. Due to all these concerns and also, keeping in view the growing demand for healthy, clean, organically produced, and residue free food, it is essential to find appropriate replacements to the use of chemical pesticides. In this article, we have reviewed certain advances and non-chemical alternatives for the management/control of wide range of stored grains insect pests and their products.