Physicochemical properties of local diatomaceous earths and their effects of water-suspension treatments against Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius, 1775) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on chickpeas

Abstract

This study evaluated the chemical and physical characteristics of two locally sourced diatomaceous earth (DE) formulations (Detech®-s and Detech®-m) alongside the commercial product SilicoSec® to assess their effects on adult mortality, lethal time (LT99), and progeny reduction of the cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius, 1775) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in stored chickpeas. Conducted in 2023 at the Entomology Laboratory of Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, the research found Detech®-m to be the most effective formulation. It achieved 99% mortality in the shortest time (LT99=70.65 hours at 1000 ppm) and the highest progeny suppression (98.1%). This superior performance was attributed to its finer particle size (d50=7.34 µm) and larger surface area (60.45 m²/g), which enhanced adsorption and cuticle disruption. Although SilicoSec® contained a higher percentage of silicon dioxide (85.7% SiO2) than Detech® (80.6% SiO2), its broader particle size distribution and lower Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area reduced its effectiveness. These findings highlight the critical role of particle size and surface area in optimizing DE formulations for C. maculatus control. Overall, our results suggest that refining DE formulations for water-suspension applications can improve stored-legume pest management by enhancing adhesion, uniformity, and persistence while minimizing dust-related health risks.

Keywords

• Cowpea weevil
• diatom powder
• particle size
• slurry application
• surface area

Yerel diatom toprakların fiziko-kimyasal özellikleri ve nohutlarda sulu süspansiyon uygulamalarına Callobruchus maculatus (Fabricius, 1775) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)'a karşı etkileri

Öz

Bu çalışmada, yerel olarak temin edilen iki diatom toprağı (DE) formülasyonunun (Detech®-s ve Detech®-m) ve ticari formülasyon SilicoSec®'in kimyasal ve fiziksel özelliklerini değerlendirerek, bunların depolanan nohutlardaki börülce tohum böceği, Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius, 1775) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) üzerindeki ergin ölümleri, lethal süre (LT99) ve yeni nesil ergin sayısındaki azaltmasına etkileri incelenmiştir. Çalışma, 2023 yılında Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi’nin Entomoloji Laboratuvarı’nda gerçekleştirilmiştir. Sonuçlar, Detech®-m'nin en etkili olduğunu, en kısa sürede (LT99=1000 ppm'de 70.65 saat) %100 ölüm oranına ve en yüksek yeni nesil ergin baskılamasına (%98.1) ulaştığını göstermiştir. Daha ince partikül boyutu (d50=7.34 µm) ve yüksek yüzey alanı (60.45 m²/g), Detech®-m formülasyonun adsorpsiyon ve böcek kütikülasını bozma özelliklerini artırarak üstün etkinlik göstermesine katkıda bulunmuştur. SilicoSec®’in daha yüksek silisyum dioksit içeriğine (%85.7) sahip olmasına rağmen, Detech®-m (%80.6) ile karşılaştırıldığında daha geniş partikül boyutu dağılımı ve daha düşük Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) yüzey alanı nedeniyle daha düşük bir etki göstermiştir. Bu bulgular, C. maculatus mücadelesinde DE formülasyonlarının etkinliğini optimize etmede partikül boyutunun ve yüzey alanının kritik rolünü vurgulamaktadır. Sonuç olarak, bu çalışmada elde edilen bulgular su süspansiyon uygulamaları için DE formülasyonların yapışma, homojenlik ve kalıcılığı artırarak optimize edilmesi depolanmış tahıl zararlılarının yönetimini iyileştirebileceğini ve toz kaynaklı sağlık risklerini en aza indirebileceğini göstermektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Börülce tohum böceği
• diatom tozu
• partikül büyüklüğü
• sulu bulamaç uygulaması
• yüzey alanı

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