New Record of Insect Pests Infesting Stored Tef [<i>Eragrostis tef</i> (Zucc.) Trotter] Grains

Abstract

Two insect species, the cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne F. (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) and the confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum J. du Val.  (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) were identified as storage pests attacking stored tef grains at the National Tef Research Project Laboratory of Debre Zeit  Agricultural Research Center. Both species are capable of damaging the embryo of tef grain, and consequently reduce seed germination. However, they  failed to reproduce on clean tef. Although the two insect species are not new to Ethiopia, this is the first record to have found them as storage insect  pests infesting tef grains under natural conditions. Since seeds are distributed for breeding and other purposes from the research center, careful  inspections are required before dispatch, particularly when the seeds are stored for more than a season.