Artificial chilling to control Coleoptera in paddy rice stored in metallic silo. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of artificial chilling for the control of coleopterans in stored paddy rice. The cold air was insufflated through the aeration system of a metallic silo with paddy rice. Evaluation of insect number was made every 15 days using probe traps. The species of Coleoptera captured were: Oryzaephilus surinamensis (60%); Cryptolestes ferrugineus (9%); Rhyzopertha dominica (16.5%) and Sitophilus spp. (0.5%). By the 28th day the average temperature of the grain mass was 15ºC, and the mean number of insects decreased 76.8%. The cold air application kept the insect populations under control for approximately 60 days. The results of temperature and insect monitoring indicated that a new cycle of cold air should be applied by that time to keep the populations under control. Also, an adequate grain management is necessary to guarantee satisfactory results of artificial cooling.
Monitoring; physical control; stored product pests
