Influence of the population density of <em>Sitophilus zeamais</em> (Motsch.) on the wheat quality for baking

Abstract

The present work was carried out to evaluate the influence of the population density of Sitophilus zeamais (Motsch.) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) in wheat grains on flour, Triticum aestivum (Poaceae), used for baking. The wheat was infested with zero, two, four, six and eight insects per 1.5 kg of grain and stored for 90 days under controlled conditions of temperature and relative humidity (28ºC and 60±5% respectively). Soon after the insect inoculation and at every 30 days, three jars of each density were evaluated for their protein content, humidity, SDS sedimentation index and tests of flour and extensograph. The infested wheat flour for baking had low quality and initial levels of four insects per 1.5 kg of wheat grain in storage periods of over 60 days, which prevented the use of the wheat for baking