Effect of ozone fumigation on controlling common storage pest <i>Tribolium castaneum</i> (Herbst) in proso millet during storage

Abstract

Minor millets are high-energy, nutrient-dense grains essential to a country’s nutritional security. Storage pests cause the greatest qualitative and quantitative losses to the stored millets and millet products. Ozone technology was adopted for controlling Tribolium castaneum in the storage of different food grains. In the present study, proso millet was conditioned to different moisture levels of 8, 12, and 16%. It was exposed to ozone to different concentrations of 250, 500, and 750 ppmv with various stages of Tribolium castaneum. The lethal time (LT99) values were found at 268, 475, 160, and 679 mins for adult, pupa, larva, and egg stages of Tribolium castaneum at 750 ppmv and 8% moisture level, respectively. The susceptibility of Tribolium castaneum for ozone disinfestation was found as egg>pupa>adult>larvae. No significant changes were observed between the control and ozone-treated proso millet at 750 ppmv with 8% moisture content in terms of protein, fat, and ash content. FTIR results of ozone-treated proso millet showed that there were significant (p < 0.05) changes in functional compounds. Similarly, no significant changes in the starch granules and protein bodies in ozone-treated proso millet.