Chemical and Biological Pollution of Wheat Grains During Storage

Abstract

The present work was carried out to study the biotic and chemical pollutants of wheat grains during storage. Results could be summarized as follows :

1- The most dominant storage fungi that associate local wheat grains were Aspergilus jl.avus and A. terreus followed by A. niger, A. candidus and A. ochraceus. Altemaria spp. was the most dominant of field fungi followed by Fusarium spp.. Meanwhile in imported wheat samples the most dominant were A. _jl.avus followed by A. niger. A. terreus, recorded lowest occurrence. 2- Pollution with fungi was clearly less in imported wheat

samples as compared to local ones.

3- Sitophilus oryzae and Trogoderma granarium were the most dominant insect pests of local wheat grains followed by Tribolium castaneum, Rhizopertha dominica and S. granarius. Meanwhile all samples of imported wheat grains were free from insect infestation. 4� The susceptibility of local wheat grain cultivars at

different govemorates showed that:

a) Sakha 69 was the most susceptible cultivar.

b) The highest number of immature insect pests were found in Sakha 69 cultivar. c) The: highest number of insect pests were recorded

in Fayoum govemorates.