EFFECTS OF CITRUS OIL VOLATILES ON THE REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF THE RICE MOTH, CORCYRA CEPHALONICA (STAINTON) (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE)

Rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) (Lepidoptera: Pyrali dae) is an important pest of stored food su ch as cer e als, cereal products, oil seeds puls es dried fruits nuts and spices . A sharp reduction in percent egg hatchability was n oticed at 72 hours exposure of the volatile s in comparison to 6, 12, 24 or 48 hours e xposure period to th e vapo r action of 20, 40, 80, or 160 µl volume of Citrus oil. There was a marked decline in egg output and egg hatchability in reproductive pairs, whose larval development for the first 15 days/from 16 th day till 30 days/continuous till 30 days took place in an environment ema nating from 20, 40, 80 or 160 µl volume of this oil. A ppreciable reduction in egg laying capacity and egg viability was noticed at 6 hour exposure of the volatile s in comparison to 3 hour exposure period to the action of different volume s of this oil. Ther e was significant reduction in Glycogen level , Total lipids , Total protein and Total free amino acids level in testes and ovaries of adults following the ir expo sure to the action of selected volatile s for 6 hours , emanating from 20 , 40, 80 or 160 µ l volume of Citrus oil.