MIMICRY OF FORMALDEHYDE AS ALDEHYDE: A POTENTIAL AND NOVEL CHEMICAL COMPOUND TO CONTROL STORAGE PESTS

Abstract

Tribolium castaneum is one of the most pervasive pests to
threaten the storage of rice in Malaysia; thus, control methods
are being studied to overcome this problem. The main
objective of this study is to measure the efficacy of paint to
attract T. castaneum. Based on preliminary results regarding
olfactory responses, the formaldehyde compound in paint is
highlighted as a potential and alternative method to be used as
bait to trap the T. castaneum that infest rice storage
warehouses. This result is likely due to the paint’s main
element, formaldehyde, which releases a pungent smell and
attracts the pests. Chemically, formaldehyde is a simpler form
of aldehyde, with the formula CH2O. The idea to use paint in
this study was inspired by the reports of warehouse workers
who declared that insect pests are attracted to the paint that is
stored in warehouses. Interestingly, this preliminary finding
results in an interesting conclusion and a novel outcome in the
field of stored product research. To this end, researchers recommend a paint or formaldehyde compound to serve as bait capable of attracting T. castaneum.