Screening Folk Rice Varieties of West Bengal for Relative Tolerance to Angoumois Grain Moth Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier) (Lepidoptera:Gelechiidae) and Identification of Factors Contributing to the Tolerance

Post-harvest losses in India amount to 12 to 16 million metric tons of food grains each year, an amount that the World Bank stipulates could feed one-third of India's poor. Cereals like rice, wheat and corn play an important role in the economic stability of many countries. Insects and disease devour or damage a fifth or more of stored food grains each year in many parts of the world. The impact of rice varieties tolerant to stored grain pests of these major crops could be dramatic in developing countries, where grain infestations are most common and harmful, and where surging populations require affordable food. Angoumois grain moth, t-harvest losses in India amount to 12 to 16 million metric tons of food grains each year, an amount that the World Bank stipulates could feed one-third of India's poor. Cereals like rice, wheat and corn play an important role in the economic stability of many countries. Insects and disease devour or damage a fifth or more of stored food grains each year in many parts of the world. The impact of rice varieties tolerant to stored grain pests of these major crops could be dramatic in developing countries, where grain infestations are most common and harmful, and where surging populations require affordable food. Angoumois grain moth, (Olivier) causes immense post-harvest losses in rice. Tolerance to Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier) among selected West Bengal rice folk varieties or landraces was assessed. Other factor(s) resulting in tolerance against Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier), viz., silica deposition of grain hull, grain dimensions, aroma and grain moisture content among the folk rice varieties was investigated too. Folk varieties Champakushi, Kajaldekhi, Malabati and Valki are found to be highly tolerant. Both grain moisture content and the hull silica are the important factors for tolerance to the stored grain pest infestation. These tolerant folk varieties may be used as parents in future rice breeding programmes.