The granary weevil, Sitophilus granarius (L.), is one of the most important internal feeders of stored grain. Nanotechnology has become one of the most promising new approaches for pest control in recent years. In our screening program, laboratory trials were conducted to determine the effectiveness of silica nanoparticles (SNPs) and zinc nanoparticles (ZNPs) against the larval stage and adults of S. granarius on stored wheat. Nanoparticles of silica and zinc were synthesized through a solvothermal method. They were then used to prepare insecticidal solutions of different concentrations and tested on S. granarius. Silica nanoparticles (SNPs) were found to be highly effective against S. granarius causing 100% mortality after 2 weeks. ZNPs were moderately effective against this pest.

The aim of the work was to study the feeding deterrent activity ofprecocenes, their synthetic analogues, and some related compunds to storage pests: Sitophi/us granarius L., Tribolium con/usum Duv., Trogoderma granarium Ev., and aphids: Myzuspersicae (Sulz.). Among all tested compounds precocenes I and 11 exhibited the best feeding deterrent activity against all tested insects. 4-Chromanols ( 16, 17 and I 8), alcohols 19, 20 and 3-chromanone (15) showed high deterrence towards the larvae of T con/usum. The best antifeedant activity towards the adults of both T confusum and S granarius was observed for substituted phenols with methoxy group at benzene ring. The biological tests carried out on aphids showed that the presence ofmethoxy group in the molecule was a crucial structural factor for the appearance of antifeedant activity against these insects.