Effects of sublethal carbon dioxide concentrations on biological characteristics and life table parameters of Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae)

Understanding the survival and developmental biology of insects under sublethal concentrations of carbon dioxide ranging from 0.25 to 4%, compared with ambient air, which is easily monitored in grain storage initially or pest infestation, may help improve pest management strategies, such as synergizing fumigation and controlled atmosphere. The survival, developmental duration, oviposition, and life table parameters of Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) were measured under carbon dioxide concentrations at 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 4% at 23 °C and 28 °C, and compared with those in ambient air. With carbon dioxide changed from 0.25 to 4%, the generation duration of O. surinamensis was 36.84 ± 1.77 days in air and decreased from 35.10 ± 2.42 to 30.63 ± 1.94 days at 23 °C, 27.44 ± 1.58 days in air and decreased from 26.92 ± 1.56 to 23.72 ± 1.48 days at 28 °C. The generation survival rate was 65.28 ± 0.26% in air and decreased from 63.84 ± 0.26 to 51.32 ± 0.23% at 23 °C, and 73.66 ± 0.26% in air and decreased from 69.03 ± 0.27 to 55.31 ± 0.25% at 28 °C. The eggs laid per female reduced sharply from 32.31 ± 0.24 in air and 29.19 ± 0.15 to 19.01 ± 0.12, accompanied with pre-oviposition duration prolonging. The sex ratio varied from 1.6 to 1 nearly at both temperatures. The mean generation time ( T ), net reproductive rate ( R 0 ), index of population control ( I ), intrinsic rate of increase ( r ), and finite rate of increase ( λ ) decreased significantly with carbon dioxide increasing at the two tested temperatures. The carbon dioxide concentrations at sublethal concentrations of 0.25–4% can obviously affect survival, developmental biological parameters such as reduced generation duration, survival rate, egg number laid, sex ratio, and life table parameters. Which may help improve management strategies, for example, to synergize the effects of fumigation or controlled atmosphere. • CO 2 at 0.25–4% significantly affected survival and development of Oryzaephilus surinamensis. • Generation duration, survival rate, fecundity and life table parameters declined with CO 2 increase. • Life table parameters of O. surinamensis changed when CO 2 exceeded 0.25% at 23 °C or 0.5% at 28 °C. • Pest management effectiveness depends on survival and development, especially exposure time.