Studies on the comparative efficiency of different traps in attracting various storage pests in paddy seed processing units

Experiments were conducted to compare the efficiency of four different kinds of traps namely TNAU insect probe trap, TNAU pit fall trap, Indicator device and Stack probe trap and then indicator device against normal sampling method to collect insects present in processed and stored paddy seeds at a particular time interval. The direct comparison of efficiency of traps in collecting rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae, red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum Herbst, angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella Oliver and lesser grain borer, Rhizopertha dominica Fabricious which are of economic importance on 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 days after well processed and sampled seed lots. It was found that maximum number of pests was collected in stack probe trap followed by TNAU insect probe trap before and after fumigation. Among the pests lesser grain borer was collected more followed by angoumois grain moth.