International Journal of Education & Applied Sciences Research, Vol.

4, Issue 02, Feb-Apr- 2017,

pp 37-42 EISSN: 2349 –2899 , ISSN: 2349 –4808 (Print)

www.arseam.com
Impact Factor: 2.525

Cite this paper as: Braj Kishor Prasad Singh (2017). STUDY ON THE LIFE CYCLE OF SITOPHILUS ORYZAE ON RICE

CULTIVAR PUSA 2-21 IN LABORATORY CONDITION , International Journal of Education & Applied Sciences Research, Vol.4,
Issue 02, Feb-Apr-2017, pp 37-42 ISSN: 2349 –2899 (Online) , ISSN: 2349 –4808 (Print),

STUDY ON THE LIFE CYCLE OF SITOPHILUS ORYZAE ON RICE

CULTIVAR PUSA 2-21 IN LABORATORY CONDITION

Braj Kishor Prasad Singh

University Department of Zoology B R A Bihar University, Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India

Abstract

Sitophilus oryzae is a major stored grain pest infesting many grains in storage but rice is its main target of attack. It
has been seen that the life cycle of insect depends upon many factors such as ambient temperature, humidity, water
content of the grain etc. But the ease with which the life cycle is completed also depends on the type / variety of rice
on which the insect is thriving. So it is desirable to study the life cycle on different cultivars of rice. Understanding
of life cycle helps in management of pest in a better way.

Key words: Sitophilus oryzae, life cycle, rice, pest

INTRODUCTION

It has been estimated that pests devour about 6.5% of total grains stored in India (Raju, 1984). Even though
ultramodern storage facilities are available, farmers in rural India due to their ignorance and lack of extension
facilities in the hinterland, still depend upon traditional techniques of storage of food grains, thereby making their
grains prone to the infestations of pests during storage (Aslam et al.2004). Devising methods of storage and
assessing the susceptibility of a particular cultivar to a pest requires the study of the life cycle of the pest in different
conditions of temperature and relative humidity. A number of workers have delved into the life cycle of Sitophilus
oryzae (Wille 1923; Bheemanna 1986; Barbuiya et al., 2002) but results do not show uniformity as far as the time
taken in completion of life cycle (Wille, 1923), the features of different developmental stages encountered (Barbuiya
et al. 2002) and the generations completed per year (Bheemanna 1986) are concerned. It was not only the type of
food grain but the prevailing agro-climatic which has left their imprint on various aspects of growth and
development of the infesting pest.

In the Tirhut area of Bihar a number of rice varieties are cultivated of which Pusa 2-21 is an important one. It is
subjected to large scale damage by Sitophilus orizae during warehousing particularly during storage by small
farmers who do not afford highly sophisticated storage facilities.
The present work intends to study the life cycle of Sitophilus oryzae with special reference to observation on time
taken to complete different development stages in the local agro-climatic region.

| submit paper : editor@arseam.com download full paper : www.arseam.com 37

 Braj Kishor Prasad Singh (2017). STUDY ON THE LIFE CYCLE OF SITOPHILUS ORYZAE ON RICE CULTIVAR PUSA 2-21 IN
LABORATORY CONDITION

Materials & Methods.

Studies on the biology and life cycle of Sitophilus orizae on local rice grain Pusa 2-21 were conducted for the period
of 92 days, i.e., from 15th June to 15th September of 2015.

Laboratory conditions: The entire study was conducted in the laboratory of the University Department of Zoology,
B R A Bihar University Muzaffarpur. During experiment the average temperature (minimum & maximum) varied
from 22.18ºc to 32.8ºc and the range of relative humidity was recorded between 68% to 85%.

Collection of samples:
Rice sampling: For this study fresh rice grains were purchased from the local market of Muzaffarpur called Gola
bazar. The grains were dried under sunlight and stored in air tight jars. Only un-infested intact grains were selected.
Insect sampling: The adult rice weevils were collected from infested rice grains. The infested rice grains were
purchased from the local retail market of Muzaffarpur, popularly called Andigola market. The culture was
maintained in glass bottle of 2.5 liter capacity containing rice grains. For proper aeration mouth of bottle was
covered with piece of cotton cloth. Clean and fresh grains were given to ensure proper growth of the weevil. Pure
culture of the weevil was prepared by infesting properly cleaned pre- weighted insect free rice grains with freshly
emerged single mating pair. The culture was maintained in the plastic jars each of which contained 30 rice grains.
The temperature of plastic vial is measured with the help of digital probe thermometer and accordingly recorded.
Micrometer and slide caliper were used for morphometric observations.

Result & discussion

Ten male and female insects with food grains were placed in ten separate vials each containing fifty grams of rice
grains and their lifespan was observed in each of them at room temperature and humidity. Damaged grains were
replaced every day by fresh grains, the former were carefully observed under microscope to isolate grains having
eggs. The egg of S.orayzae measures 0.71±0.04 mm in length. The average length of adult male and female was 3.1
± 0.6 mm and 2.9 ±0.6mm respectively. Whereas the adult female, with continuous food supply survives for 81
to105 days, the adult male remains alive for 57-63 days.

The S. oryzae larvae were fed individually inside a specimen tube of 7.00 cm x 2.00 cm size with seven gram rice
grains in each. Ten grains per day were dissected out to observe different larval stages. The process was continued
till the appearance of pupal stage begun in the dissection. The time taken between hatching and pupation was length
of larval period. Larval stage lasted for 21-27 days. The average length of the larva was 2.9 ±0.2 mm.

The larvae thus emerged earlier were continuously fed upon and they pupated. The length of time consumed
between pupation and emergence of adult indicated the pupation period which varied between 7-8 days with a mean
of 7.5 plus-minus 0.84 days. Total length of life cycle starting from egg to adult ranges between 35-49 days with
mean of 41.2 ± 5.79 days.

Ovipositional studies: Newly emerged pairs of weevil were allowed to grow in specimen tube (7.5 cm x 2.5 cm)
and ten replication of such tubes were maintained. Mating commenced after 4-6 days and oviposition followed.
Incubation period: Rice grains on which eggs were laid were further maintained in a glass vial to study the
incubation period. Twenty grains were dissected daily to ascertain the hatching. As per the experiment conducted,
the incubation period turned out to be 6-7 days on rice.
While the result of present study conformed some of the observations made by earlier workers in this regard, it was
in contrast to some others. It is consonance with the observations of Barbuiya et . al (2002) who found an
incubation period of 5 to 7 days on rice.

| submit paper : editor@arseam.com download full paper : www.arseam.com 38

 International Journal of Education & Applied Sciences Research, Vol.4, Issue 02, Feb-Apr- 2017,
pp 37-42 EISSN: 2349 –2899 , ISSN: 2349 –4808 (Print)

Table 1: Variations in temperature & humidity of Practical room during the study period.

Months.
Room Climate June15- July 14 (30 July15- Aug. 14 (30 Aug.15-Sep.15
days). days). (302days)
Maximum 32.08 31.92 32.73
Minimum 22.53 22.83 22.05
Temperature (ᵒC)
Range 32.08-22.53 31.92-22.83 32.73-22.05
Average 27.32 27.41 27.77
Maximum 86.33 85.52 83.4
Minimum 68.39 69.58 71.48
Humidity (RH%)
Range 86.33-68.39 85.52-69.58 83.40-71.48
Average 77.44 77.74 77.95

Table 2. Description Of Different Growth Stages Of S. orizae.

Range (mm)
Growth stages Mean (mm) Standard devation (mm)

Male 3.1 3.1 ± 0.6 2.5-3.7

Adult
Female 2.9 2.9 ± 0.6 2.3-3.5

Egg 0.71 0.71 ± 0.03 0.68-0.70

Larva 2.9 2.9 ± 0.2 2.6 - 3.1

Pupa 2.4 2.4 ± 0.1 2.3 - 2.5

An incubation period of 5 days was observed on maize grains by Yevoor (2003), at 14 to 34 degree C temperature
and 55 to 88 % relative humidity (RH). But Wille (1923) contradicted present study by the observation that during
summer the egg stage of Calandra oryzae (L.) on husked rice lasts for six to nine days. While Okuni (1924) had
observed 5 to 20 days of pupal period, Wille (1923) has recorded 7 to 11 days of pupal period. Wille (1923) reported
variable duration of life cycle with 45 days in summer but taking as long as five months in cool weather of autumn
and winter for completion of one generation. While it takes 42 days to complete the full life cycle as per the present
observation, contrary to this, Okuni (1924) reported eight generations of S. oryzae in a year with the adult average
longevity for 160 days. The duration of incubation period in the present observation is far above the observation of
Okuni (1924) who had noted that the incubation period under normal condition extends up to three to four days.
Newman (1927) from Australia had registered three to five days of egg stage and had recorded 20 to 30 days of
larval period of rice weevil.

| submit paper : editor@arseam.com download full paper : www.arseam.com 39

Braj Kishor Prasad Singh (2017). STUDY ON THE LIFE CYCLE OF SITOPHILUS ORYZAE ON RICE CULTIVAR PUSA 2-21 IN
LABORATORY CONDITION

Fig. Adult Sitophilus species.

Fig: Egg.
| submit paper : editor@arseam.com download full paper : www.arseam.com 40
International Journal of Education & Applied Sciences Research, Vol.4, Issue 02, Feb-Apr- 2017,
pp 37-42 EISSN: 2349 –2899 , ISSN: 2349 –4808 (Print)

Fig: Larval stage

Fig: Pupa.

| submit paper : editor@arseam.com download full paper : www.arseam.com 41

 Braj Kishor Prasad Singh (2017). STUDY ON THE LIFE CYCLE OF SITOPHILUS ORYZAE ON RICE CULTIVAR PUSA 2-21 IN
LABORATORY CONDITION

REFERENCES

Aslan, I.; H. Ozbek; S, Kordali; O, Calmasur and A, Cakir. 2004. Toxicity of essential oil vapours obtained
from Pistacia spp. to the granary weevil, Sitophilus granarius (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Journal of Plant
Diseases and Protection 111: 400–407.

Barbhuiya, M. H., 2002, Biology of rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera : Curculionidae) in stored wheat
Triticum vulgare and its control. Environment and Ecology, 20 : 1700-1702.

Bheemanna, M., 1986, Studies on biology of rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae Linnaeus (Curculionidae : Coleptera)
and host resistance in sorghum. M. Sc. (Agri.) Thesis, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad.

Bhuiyah, M. I. M., Islam, N., Begam, A. and Karim, M. A., 1990, Biology of rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae
Linnaeus. Bangladesh Journal of Zoology, 18 :67-74.

Lefevre, P. C., 1953, Etude de Calandra oryzae (L.) sur sorgho (Sorghum vulgare Bert). Bulletin of Agricultural
Congress Belge, 44 : 1001-1046.

Newman, L. J., 1927, Grain weevils. Journal of Department of Agriculture, W. Australia, 45 : 538-545.

Okuni, T., 1924, Insect pests of stored grains in Formosa Part I. Research Institute for Agriculture, Formosa, 6 : 1-
16.

Park, I. K.; S. G. Lee; D. H. Choi; J. D. Park & Y. J. Ahn. 2003. Insecticidal activities of constituents identified
in the essential oil from leaves of Chamaecyparis obtusa against Callosobruchus chinensis (L.) and Sitophilus
oryzae (L.). Journal of Stored Products Research 39:375–384
.
Raju P. 1984. The staggering storage losses - causes and extent. Pesticides 1984 Vol. 18 No.1pp. 35-37

Sattigi, H. N., 1982, Studies on the biology, chemical control of Sitophilus oryzae Linnaeus (Curculionidae :
Coleoptera) and Rhizopertha dominica Fab. (Bostrychidae : Coleoptera) and residue analysis of insecticides. M. Sc.
(Agri.) Thesis, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad

Shaaya, E.; V. Ravid; N. Paster; B. Juven; V. Zisman & V. Pissarev. 1991. Fumigant toxicity of essential oils
against four major stored-product insects. Journal of Chemical Ecology 17: 499–504.

Wille, J., 1923, Contribution to the biology of rice weevil C. oryzae Zeitschift Fuer Angewandte, 9 : 333-342.

Yevoor, 2003, Biology and management of rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (Linn.) in maize grains. M. Sc. (Agri.)
Thesis, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad.

| submit paper : editor@arseam.com download full paper : www.arseam.com 42