%0 Journal Article
%@ 0015-4040
%A Njoroge, A W
%A Affognon, H D
%A Mutungi, C
%A Richter, U
%A Hensel, O
%A Rohde, B
%A Mankin, R W
%D 2017
%F icrisat:9965
%I Florida Entomological Society
%J Florida Entomologist
%K Acoustic detection; Grain storage; Sub-Saharan Africa; Common bean
%N 1
%P 109-115
%T Bioacoustics of Acanthoscelides obtectus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) on Phaseolus vulgaris (Fabaceae)
%U http://oar.icrisat.org/9965/
%V 100
%X Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is an economically important pest of common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Fabaceae), in the tropics and subtropics. The larvae are cryptic and spend most of their development time inside the bean seeds. Their presence is almost imperceptible except for circular emergence holes created by the last instar larvae in preparation for their exit as adults. We considered a hypothesis that readily available acoustic detection devices can be used to detect larvae and adults in stored beans. Laboratory experiments were conducted in an anechoic chamber to characterize the sounds of movement and feeding and estimate whether they could be distinguished from background noise in storage environments. The larvae produced low-amplitude insect sound impulses frequently occurring in trains (bursts) of 2 or more impulses (mean = 3.6). The adults produced lower-amplitude impulses, although at a higher rate than the larvae, and there were significantly fewer impulses per burst. These features of the acoustic signals were useful for real-time detection of A. obtectus infestation and discrimination from background noise in stored common beans in sub-Saharan Africa. The use of such technology in the future, especially if its costs can be reduced further, may contribute to efforts to alleviate hunger and poverty in the region.
%Z We gratefully acknowledge the financial support for this research  by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit,  GmbH (GIZ) under the Reduction of Postharvest Losses and Value  Addition in East African Food Value Chains (RELOAD) project (project  number 12.1433.7-001.00 contract number 81161243). A. W. N. was  supported by a RELOAD project scholarship awarded by the International  Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe). B. B. R. was supported  supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship,  DGE-1315138, and by a teaching assistantship from the University  of Florida. Mention of a trademark or proprietary product is solely for  the purpose of providing specific information and does not constitute a  guarantee or warranty of the product by the United States Department  of Agriculture and does not imply its approval to the exclusion of other  products that may also be suitable. The United States Department of  Agriculture is an equal opportunity employer.