Journal of Stored Products Research, cilt.114, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
This study evaluates the insecticidal potential of secondary metabolites derived from Photorhabdus temperata subsp. thracensis, symbiotically associated with the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora HBH hybrid strain, against three major stored-product insect pests: Tribolium confusum, Rhyzopertha dominica, and Sitophilus oryzae. The cell-free bacterial culture supernatant was topically applied to adult insects under laboratory conditions, and the mortality was recorded over a 5-day period. Results indicated significant species-specific variation in susceptibility. R. dominica exhibited the highest mortality (96.7 % by day 5), followed by T. confusum (70.0 %) and S. oryzae (53.3 %). The observed effects were time-dependent, with mortality rate increasing progressively over the exposure period. The findings suggest that P. temperata subsp. thracensis secondary metabolites have promising bioinsecticidal properties against stored-product pests and could serve as an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic insecticides. Further research is needed to characterize the active compounds and optimize delivery methods under storage conditions.