Available carbohydrates of cereal grains as affected by storage and insect infestation

ABSTRACT

Total soluble sugar, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar and starch contents of wheat, maize and sorghum grains were affected adversely at 25, 50 and 75 percent insect infestation caused by Trogoderma granarium Everts and Rhizopertha dominica Fabricius, separately and mixed population. R. dominica caused significant (P < 0.05) reduction in available carbohydrates at 50 and 75 percent. Mixture of both insect species caused intermediate losses. Storage of cereal grains up to 4 months resulted in substantial increase in sugars and decrease in starch content, but storage for a shorter period of time did not cause any significant changes in levels of carbohydrates (Summary)