Life table parameters, consumption, and frass production of Plodia interpunctella on four major cultivars of Turkish hazelnut

The Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a globally significant pest of stored commodities, including hazelnuts. In this study we investigated life table parameters, consumption, and frass production of P. interpunctella on four major Turkish hazelnut cultivars: ‘Çakıldak’, ‘Mincane’, ‘Palaz’, and ‘Tombul’. The development, fecundity, consumption, and frass production were analyzed using the age-stage, two-sex life table theory. Significant differences in developmental durations were observed among the cultivars, with insects reared on Mincane exhibiting the longest preadult development period (43.51 days). No significant differences were observed in the net reproductive rate (R₀), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and finite rate of increase (λ) among cultivars. The heaviest pupae were recorded on Mincane and Tombul cultivars. Consumption and frass production rates also varied among cultivars. Larvae reared on Palaz exhibited the highest net consumption rate and the lowest net frass production rate. Population projections showed the largest population size on Tombul (>8.1 million individuals, including 4.6 million larvae) after 120 days, highlighting its potential risk in storage conditions. Notably, the highest larval population was on Mincane (>5.6 million individuals). The projected larval population size, frass, and total consumption exhibited similar lower trends on both Çakıldak and Palaz cultivars. These results highlight the significance of hazelnut cultivar selection in the context of P. interpunctella management. Specifically, Çakıldak would be the most suitable choice for integrated pest management due to its lowest preadult survival rate, along with the low predicted pest population size, frass production, and total consumption.