Abstract:
The augmented losses occur during the storage of grains but details on such
information is minimum under Sri Lankan conditions. Unawareness of relevant
and updated information on these losses prevents the adoption of appropriate
remedial measures for the protection of these stored grains. Therefore, the
current study was conducted in Anuradhapura district of Sri Lanka to determine
the types of household-level storage structures/places used, grain losses occurred
in those structures/places and nature of insect infestation of stored paddy, maize
and mungbean. A questionnaire survey was conducted throughout Anuradhapura
district using farmer families. Four main structures/places used in grain storage in
different divisional secretariats were identified. The storage structures/places
used from the highest to lowest frequency were room inside house, kitchen, room
outside the house and temporary hut. Sitophilus oryzae was the most abundant
stored pest followed by Sitotroga cerealella, Tribolium castaneum and Rhyzopertha
dominica. The structures/places of grain storage and abundance of insect species
were different among divisional secretariats. This study discloses the
structures/places of grain storage, their frequency of use as well as the main
insect species responsible for grain losses in the Anuradhapura district of Sri
Lanka.
