Numerous Dermestidae insects are considered significant pests because of their capacity to inflict substantial economic harm on stored food items. Trogoderma and Attagenus genera members are commonly discovered in imported grain and other food products. Usually, infestations of these species consist of various species that reproduce quickly and spread effortlessly. The small size of Attagenus and Trogoderma stored-product stages makes it extremely challenging to identify them based on their morphological characteristics. Hence, it is imperative to have precise identification techniques in place to ensure the safety and dependability of the grain industry, as well as to streamline efficient plant quarantine measures. Various molecular methods have been employed for insect species identification, such as restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), DNA sequence analysis, and species-specific primer PCR (SS-PCR) techniques. Despite the considerable focus on quickly identifying these species in stored products in recent years, there is a notable absence of systematic molecular identification. This research highlights the use of genetic techniques to differentiate between Trogoderma and Attagenus species.

• Anandapadmanaban Gokulanathan(Plant Quarantine Technology Center, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gimcheon)
• Suh Soo Jung(Plant Quarantine Technology Center, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gimcheon)
• Hyoung-Ho Mo(Plant Quarantine Technology Center, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gimcheon) Corresponding author