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Mercury as a Control for Stored Grain Pests

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

D. W. Wright
D. W. Wright
Affiliation:
Horticultural Research Station, School of Agriculture, Cambridge.
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Extract

The Indian custom of placing metallic mercury with the grain in the storage container to prevent infestation by insects has been investigated. It is found to have a sound scientific basis as the presence of mercury prevents the reproduction of certain of these pests.

Experiments showed that the vapour of mercury was fully effective in preventing reproduction of the grain weevil (Calandra granaria), the saw-toothed grain beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis), the lesser grain borer (Rhizopertha dominica), and the Angoumois grain moth (Sitotroga cerealella).

Zinc and tin amalgams and calomel were less effective than metallic mercury.

The efficiency of a given weight of mercury is increased by subdivision, a process which increases its total surface area.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 35 , Issue 2 , July 1944 , pp. 143 - 160
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1944

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References

references

Kannan, K. K. (1920). Mercury as an insecticide.—Rep. Proc. 3rd Ent. Meet. Pusa, 1919, pp. 761–762.Google Scholar
Larson, A. O. (1922). Metallic mercury as an insecticide.—J. econ. Ent., 15, pp. 391–395.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dutt, G. R. & Puri, A. M. (1929). A simple method of storing food grains for household purposes.—Agric. J. India, 24, pp. 245–250.Google Scholar
Gough, H. C. (1938). Toxicity of mercury vapour to insects.—Nature, 141, pp. 922–923.Google Scholar