Miller Magazine Issue: 131 November 2020

51 COVER STORY MILLER / November 2020 been reported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that there may be very serious quantity and qual- ity losses up to 30% in poor storage conditions during post-harvest storage period. For this reason, in order to prevent these losses in the post-harvest storage period which is getting more and more important; it is necessary to recognize the pests that cause losses in stored prod- ucts and to fight these pests properly. Problems caused by stored product pests, • First of all, they cause direct quantitative losses in the contaminated product. Loss of weight is one of the problems faced by businesses as direct material damage. • Pests also cause a decrease in quality due to residues and dirt left on the product. It can create serious quality problems for the semi-manufactured and final products. So it may cause damage in terms of production and qual- ity costs. • As contamination increases, Insects, moulds, and the grains themselves produce water in respiration, i.e. a breakdown of carbohydrate substrate. In humid condi- tions, without adequate ventilation, mould development and "caking" can spread rapidly, causing severe losses. All products in the warehouse are at risk. • Some storage pests damage the embryo in the grain and reduce the germination rate as the seed will not ger- minate. • In addition, consumption of contaminated products poses a risk to human and animal health. • Rodents contaminate more than they consume, cre- ating a risk of disease transmission. Some microorganisms, rodents and especially insects dam- age the stored products during storage. These pests break and damage foods by eating them. Therefore, the crop loses its commercial value, quality, physi- cal and chemical properties, and seed loses quality. Studies show that pests cause serious losses in stored grains, starting from the 1% to 30%. When we consider a business that stores 10.000 tons of wheat annually; and If the correct and effective pest con- trol and management practices are not implemented, at least 1,000 tons of loss may occur in this business. In this case, there may be negative ef- fects in terms of loss. • The main insect species that are harmful to stored cereals; • Grain Weevil (Sitophilus gra- naries) • Rice Weevil (Sitophilus ory- zae.) • Maize Weevil (Sitophilus zea- mais) • Lesser Grain Borer (Rhizoper- tha dominica ) • Khapra Beetle (Trogoderma granarium Everts) • Angoumois grain moth (Sitotroga cerealelle Oliv.) • Confused Flour Beetle (Tribolium confusum.) • Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamen- sis L.) • Mealworm Beetle (Tenebrio molitor L.) • Flour Moth (Ephestia kuehniella ) • Indian Meal Moth (Dried Fruit Moth) (Plodia inter- punctella ) The correct determination of the species of the pests is very important as it affects how the fight will be done and therefore the result and efficiency to be obtained from the fight. In addition, rodents contaminate the foodstuffs in the warehouses and bins through their urine and feces, except for consumption. Rats and mice can spread sal- monella with the droppings they leave. They also cause some diseases to spread. For example; such as typhoid, typhus, cholera, plague. They destroy the places where they are. Rodents can gnaw materials such as steel, concrete and plastic, in- cluding electrical cables. Mice and rats have a very high ability to reproduce. As a result of the breeding of a pair of rats and their offspring, their numbers can reach thou- sands within a year, and this number can be much more. The most common types of mice in warehouses; • Rattus norvegius • Rattus rattus • Mus musculus Removing food sources is a key factor in successful ro-