Bionomics and Morphometric Study of Rhyzopertha dominica Fabricius on Stored Wheat

Abstract

The lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius), is a major pest of stored wheat, causing substantial post-harvest losses worldwide. Despite its economic importance, detailed biological and morphometric data on this species remain limited. The present study was conducted at Regional Research Station, AAU, Anand to investigate the bionomics and morphometric characteristics of R. dominica on stored wheat (Lok-1 variety).  Observations included all life stages—eggs, larvae (four instars), pre-pupae, pupae, and adults. Eggs hatched in 5.40 ± 0.50 days with 80 % success. The larval period averaged 24.35 ± 2.83 days, passing through four instars with distinct morphologies. The pre-pupal and pupal durations were 1.00 ± 0.00 and 3.85 ± 0.87 days, respectively. Adults lived an average of 59.93 ± 3.86 (males) and 63.55 ± 4.88 (females) days. Females laid an average of 191 ± 40.5 eggs, with a sex ratio of 1:1. These findings provide baseline data to understand the developmental biology of R. dominica better and support effective storage pest management strategies.