Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T22:36:31.911Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Recent Work on Mercury as an Insecticide against Insect Pests of Stored Grain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

M. Maqsud Nasir
M. Maqsud Nasir
Affiliation:
Assistant Entomologist, Quetta
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

A review of the work carried out on mercury as a preservative against stored grain pests is given.

The influence of the duration of exposure to mercury vapour upon eggs of different stages of development is discussed.

Temperature and humidity within ordinary limits do not affect the efficiency of mercury.

Under airtight conditions this preservative is effective within a radius of three feet in receptables with or without grain.

Paper strips coated with mercury cannot be recommended for grain stored in bags and kept in piles because pressure and weight of the grain, or even shaking, will cause the mercury to be expelled from the strips.

Mercury dispersed in chalk cannot be used for grain destined for consumption. It is, however, quite suitable for preserving grain for seed.

Plastering the walls with mercury paste or afflxing slabs to the walls of godowns is not effective owing to the limited range of mercury vapour.

Application of mercury in various types of receptacles is discussed and advocated. Fumigation with mercury does not seem to be practicable.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 40 , Issue 2 , August 1949 , pp. 299 - 304
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1949

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Annual Report of the Government Entomologist, Punjab, for the year 1938–1939.Google Scholar
Dole, K. K. (1943). Observations on the insecticidal properties of mercury and its economical use for prevention of damage to stored food grains.—Univ, Bombay, (N.S.) 11, A, pp. 116–120.Google Scholar
Dutt, G. R. & Puri, A. N. (1929). A simple method of storing food grains for household purposes.—Agric. J. India, 24, pp. 245–250.Google Scholar
Glaser, F. (1903). Z. Elektrochem., 9, p. 11.Google Scholar
Gough, H. C. (1938). Toxicity of mercury vapours to insects.—Nature, 141, pp. 922–923.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Janjua, N. A. & Nasir, M. M. (1948). Stored grain pests and their control in Baluchistan.—Bull. Dep. Agric. Baluchistan, 1947, no. 2, pp. 10–11 & 15.Google Scholar
Krishnamurti, B. & Appanna, M. (1945). Influences of mercury on insect eggs. Part 1.—Curr. Sci., 14, pp. 7–10.Google Scholar
Kunhi Kannan, K. (1920). Mercury as an insecticide (Abstract).—Proc. 3rd ent. Mtgs Pusa, 1919, pp. 761–762.Google Scholar
Larson, A. O. (1922). Metallic mercury as an insecticide.—J. econ. Ent., 15, pp. 391–394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pruthi, H. S. & Singh, M. (1945). Stored grain pests and their control.—Misc. Bull. Coun. agric. Res. India, no. 57 (2nd revd. edn.), 42 pp.Google Scholar
Rahman, K. A. (1942). Insect pests of stored grains in the Punjab and their control.—Indian J. agric. Sci., 12, pp. 564–587.Google Scholar
Wright, D. W. (1944). Mercury as a control for stored grain pests.—Bull. ent. Res., 35, pp. 143–160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar