The activity of (S)-hydroprene space spray against three stored products pests in a simulated food production environment

The synthetic juvenile hormone analogue (JHA) hydroprene was applied as a s pace spray against three species of stored products insect. Food media in g lass crystallising dishes was placed in open and in enclosed situations und er simulated food production conditions. The area was treated with hydropre ne on three occasions: three months before the introduction of insect eggs into the food media, two days before infestation of the media, and three mo nths after infestation. Space spray applications of the commercial formulat ion of hydroprene (Protrol(R)) were conducted using a cold fogger at a rate of 18 mg/m(2) floor area. Hydroprene, which appeared to accumulate in the food media, disrupted the normal development of the three species tested le ading to lengthened larval development time and increased sterility in adul ts. With food media in the open, non-deformed adult emergence was reduced b y 100% for Tribolium castaneum and Ephestia cautella and by 94% for Triboli um confusum. With the food media enclosed, to simulate the situations found in food processing machinery, the effect of hydroprene was somewhat reduce d but was still considered promising. Crown copyright (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.