ABSTRACT
The effect of damages caused by harvest process on the development of the Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) during storage was evaluated. Two varieties of corn, hard and semi-hard, were manually and mechanically harvested at 20.5 and 15.5% mean moisture contents (wet basis). The samples of this harvested corn were infested and stored. The development of T. castaneum was evaluated by intrinsic rate of population increase for that period. For development of T castaneum, it was concluded that there were no significant differences between manual and mechanical harvesting, hard and semi-hard corn varieties and between 20.5 and 15.5% moisture contents. The exception being the case of mechanical harvest of semi-hard variety with 20.5% moisture, which presented a greater percentage of kernels damaged by field weevils.
Key words:
maize; harvest; storage; Tribolium castaneum