Residual toxicities and persistence of organophosphorus insecticides mixed with carbaryl as structural treatments against three liposcelidid psocid species (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae) infesting stored grain

Abstract

Four organophosphorus insecticides, azamethiphos, fenitrothion, chlorpyrifos-methyl, and pirimiphos-methyl were each mixed with carbaryl and evaluated as structural treatments on concrete and galvanized steel panels (0.3×0.3 m) against adults of three liposcelidid psocids: Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel, L. entomophila (Enderlein), and L. paeta Pearman. Residual toxicities and persistence of these insecticide mixtures were assessed at 30±1°C, 70±2% r.h., and a photoperiod of 12:12(L:D) h from 1 day after treatment (0 week) and at weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8, and then every 4 weeks up to week 40. Mortality was recorded at exposure periods of 6 h and then every 24 h until end-point was achieved. Significant enhancement in residual toxicities was observed in azamethiphos plus carbaryl against L. entomophila, and chlorpyrifos-methyl plus carbaryl and pirimiphos-methyl plus carbaryl against all three species on steel surfaces, compared with the individual effectiveness of these insecticides reported earlier. We conclude that combining carbaryl with either azamethiphos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, or pirimiphos-methyl as a structural treatment will provide long-term protection (up to 40 weeks) against infestation by all three psocid species on steel storage structures, whilst carbaryl with fenitrothion will give shorter protection (up to 8 weeks). On concrete structures, however, only azamethiphos plus carbaryl will provide long-term protection against L. bostrychophila (up to 28 weeks) and L. paeta (up to 16 weeks). None of the four insecticide mixtures studied would provide long-term protection against an L. entomophila infestation on concrete surfaces.