EVALUATION OF STRUCTURAL HEAT TREATMENT FOR THE CONTROL OF TRIBOLIUM CASTANEUM IN A COMMERCIAL WHEAT MILL IN SOUTHERN ROMANIA

Rezumat

This study evaluated the effectiveness of structural heat treatment against Tribolium castaneum in a commercial wheat mill located in Giurgiu County, Romania. Thirty-five electric heaters (700 kW in total) and 17 temperature data loggers were used. Bioassays with eggs, larvae, and adults were placed at 11 locations, with one untreated control. Heating lasted 54 h, and temperatures were maintained for approximately 20 h after the coldest monitored point reached 50 °C. Mortality was at least 95 % at all locations. Survival ranged from 0 to 5.0 % for larvae and adults and from 1.2 to 4.5 % for eggs, with higher survival generally observed in the silo area and on lower floors. This pattern suggests that heat distribution within the facility influenced treatment efficacy. Structural heat treatment is an effective non-chemical component of integrated pest management in commercial wheat mills