Image credit : Illustrative Image

A device for stored grain insect management
developed by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has found its utility in France for corn (maize) storage and should pave the way for further exports.

The trap is relatively a new method for detecting and trapping insects instored grains. The trap has a main tube, an insect trapping one and a detachable cone at the bottom.

Equispaced perforations of 2 mm diameter are made in the main tube, for air to move into the main tube and enter through the hole. Once the insect enters the hole it falls down to the detachable white cone at the bottom and has no way for escape. It can be unscrewed once a week and the insects destroyed, a varsity statement said.

The trap was developed by agricultural entomology professor Dr S Mohan.

A French company purchased 25 units of the trap model for monitoring insect pests of stored corn, it said.

Corn is stored in farms in large-scale for certain periods based on demand for export. It has been reported by the French company that trap model length seems to be okay for corn grains which
are attacked by storage pests like maize weevil sitophilus oryzae and rusty grain beetles cryptolestes sp.

This has opened up scope for the trap model to find a place in management of stored product insects not only in France but also in other countries, since corn is one of the major crops in many developed countries.

This is the first time a TNAU technology is tested and feedback made available from a developed nation.