author(s)
Nithin Vijayakumar, Sangilimuthu Alagar and Nalini Madanagopal

abstract
Investigations on the development of a biocontrol agent against the alarming stored food pest Corcyra cephalonica has witnessed noteworthy growth in current years from mainly physiological studies, to tackling fundamental queries concerning the underlying mode of action. Chitinase from Trichoderma viride, which has inauspicious effects on feeding behavior, development and biochemical parameters of insects. The effects of oral intake of chitinase integrated feed in IV instar C. cephalonica were determined by evaluating their feeding deterrence and changes in its biochemical properties. Feeding deterrence index steadily increased with a dose-dependent mode. Chitinase demonstrated the highest feeding deterrence at 229.24 ppm concentration. Our study exemplifies that treatment of stored food products with chitinase can reduce the larval feeding efficiency, deprived growth, and larval weight reduction, and reduce the number of next generation. This may serve as a powerful biocontrol agent against C. cephalonica and substitute to synthetic pesticides such as malathion.