Physiological and Biochemical Effect of Pyriproxyfen on Indian Meal Moth Plodia Interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Insect growth regulators generally have a selective effect on the target insects and have practically no apparent side effect on non-target organisms especially vertebrates. Hence, insect growth regulators could be a suitable choice to control pests in stored products. Ten-day-old larvae of Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) were expressed to the juvenile hormone analogue pyriproxyfen in order to have an effect on growth, metamorphosis, reproduction, lipid and protein contents of ovaries. The larvae were treated by 0.02, 0.04, 0.08, 0.16, and 0.3 ppm of JHA in an artificial diet where controls received acetone alone. The results indicated significant differences in duration of growth, mean longevity of hatched adults, percentage of emerged normal adults, abnormal pupae, hatched larvae and mean oviposition ratein addition to the lipid and protein of ovaries compared to the controls. An inhibition concentration of fifty (IF50) for prevention of emerging adults was recorded 0.134 ppm. Pyriproxyfen caused significant defects in the legs and wings of some adults and sever morphological changes in the ovaries of emerged adults. The results showed that pyriproxyfen may be applied as an insecticide to decrease the damage caused by Indian meal moth on stored products. Pyriproxyfen can be used with low side effects to humans.