The following study investigated the molecular identification of five species of pests that infect stored grains, held from January 2021 to December 2022 in the Misan Province, Southern Iraq. Infected stored grains’ samples came from the General Company for grain trading in its three branches, local and central markets, and homes. Results of the presented study showed five species of pests belonging to the order Coleoptera. These species are Tribolium castaneum, Trogoderma granarium, Rhyzopertha dominica, Callosobruchus maculatus, and Oryzaephilus mercator. Using the molecular technique of polymerase chain reaction helped confirm the morphological identification by employing the gene mtCOXI and identify the mutations present in the local species by comparing with the species found in the NCBI. Results of the genetic analysis revealed differences in the sequences of the nitrogenous bases of the gene mtCOXI between the local species and the species recorded in the NCBI. Likewise, variances appeared with the tree drawn between the studied species and the standard samples. The five species of pests also received accession numbers OR343196, OR343199, OR313198, OR343194, and OR343197, respectively, as recorded in the NCBI.
mtCOXI, stored grain pests, molecular identification, NCBI, Misan Province, Iraq
Polymerase chain reaction technology (PCR) is an excellent technique for diagnosing insect pests that affect stored grains. It can also be effective to confirm species identification when a phenotypic similarity occurs between two species, such that, it is difficult to distinguish between them.