Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Acari: Acaridae) as a pest of grains: A review

Tyrophagus putrescentiae is an important pest of stored products having a high fat or protein content. The susceptibility of the food grains to mite attack depends upon the high humidity, softness and high nutritive value of the food grains at optimum temperature. The losses aggravate due to the increasing densities of the mites. Tyrophagus putrescentiae directly endanger human health due to allergenic contamination of food, are vectors of toxicogenic fungi and thus indirectly contribute to contamination of food and feed with mycotoxins. They also cause significant grain weight losses and decrease of germinability. The use of chemical agents to prevent or control insect and mite infestations has been the main method of grain protection, since it is the simplest and most cost-effective means of dealing with stored product pests. However, insecticides have serious drawbacks. Hence, presently lot of research is going on biological control of these mites. Present paper discusses distribution, pest status, host range, preference of food grains, influence of abiotic factors, quantitative damage, change in biochemical composition and germination of grains, as a Vector of stored fungi, and potential of chemicals and botanicals for mite management.