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In laboratory experiments the toxicity of acetone was investigated against four species of stored-product insects. In empty-space trials, estimates of the lethal concentrations of acetone (LC, 72-h exposure) for 50% mortality against adults of the lesser grain borer, Rhizopertha dominica (F.), red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), rice weevil, Si-tophilus oryzae (L.) and eggs of the angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella (L.) were 33.64, 41.05, 43.90 and 46.11 µl/liter, respectively. At the LC95 level, the order of sensitiv-ity was rated to be: R. dominica adults > S. oryzae adults > T. castaneum adults > S. ce-realella eggs. Penetration tests revealed that acetone vapour could penetrate into the wheat mass and kill concealed insects in interkernel spaces. Comparison of LC50 values between empty-space tests and penetration experiments (after 72-h exposure) indicated that the increase in penetration toxicity was 8.52- and 8.09- fold for R. dominica and T. castaneum, respectively. A similar trend was observed at the LC95 level. In the hidden in-festation trial, the acetone vapour destroyed all the developmental stages of S. oryzae con-cealed inside the wheat kernels and resulted in a complete control with a concentration of 320 µl/liter for 8 weeks after the exposure. Based on the data collected in this study, ace-tone should be considered as a potential compound for empty space fumigations. How-ever, due to its sorption characteristics and the application of high doses, acetone may have only limited use as a fumigant under practical conditions.

Keywords: Wheat, Acetone, Fumigation, Stored-product insect

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