Morphological and molecular characterization of major internal feeders in storage insect pests using SWISS- model

Abstract

The present investigation focuses on morphological, morphometrics and molecular characterization of four significant insect pests of stored grains, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.), Callosobruchus chinensis (L.), Caryedon serratus (Olivier) and Sitophilus oryzae (L.). Detailed morphological descriptions of egg, larval, pupal and adult stages, including color patterns, anatomical features and genital structures were provided for each species. Morphometric measurements of various life stages of each pest was recorded. Molecular characterization of insects involved extracting genomic DNA and utilizing mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mt COI) as a molecular marker to identify and differentiate the species. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis confirmed species identities, revealing high genetic similarities with previously documented populations. The sequences were submitted to GenBank and an accession number was generated for Callosobruchus maculatus, Callosobruchus chinensis, Caryedon serratus, and Sitophilus oryzae. Additionally, protein modeling and structure validation were conducted using SWISS-MODEL with Ramachandran plots confirming the high quality of the predicted protein structures. This study aids in accurately identifying and understanding these pests morphology, morphometrics and molecular characterization and contributes to more effective pest management strategies.