Field evaluation of vaporised ethyl formate and carbon dioxide for fumigation of stored wheat |
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Authors: | Greg Dojchinov Katherine A Damcevski James D Woodman Victoria S Haritos |
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Affiliation: | CSIRO Entomology, Canberra, ACT, Australia |
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Abstract: | BACKGROUND: Vapormate? is a cylinderised non‐flammable mixture of ethyl formate (16.7% by weight) and carbon dioxide (CO2) that has been developed as a rapid fumigant of stored grain. Four field trials were undertaken on wheat in 50 t farm silos to demonstrate the feasibility of dynamic application. To assess treatment efficacy, each trial tested mixed stages of Rhyzopertha dominica F. (>11 000), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst.) (>1500) and Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (>13 000) in mesh cages positioned through the centre of the grain bulk and on the grain surface. Ethyl formate and CO2 concentrations were measured in the silo during fumigation and in ambient air outside the 6 m fumigation zone. Application rates of 420, 660 and 940 g m?3 of ethyl formate/CO2 formulation and exposure times of 24, 3 and 72 h, respectively, were examined using wheat of 10.4–11.7% moisture content and grain temperatures between 2 and 32 °C. RESULTS: All life stages of R. dominica and T. castaneum were fully controlled under all conditions tested, and mortality of all life stages of S. oryzae was greater than 98%. CONCLUSION: Dynamic application of vaporised ethyl formate and CO2 to 50 t silos proved safe to operators and rapidly effective against stored‐grain insects on cold to warm grain. Copyright © 2009 CSIRO, Australia. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd |
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Keywords: | ethyl formate carbon dioxide field trials fumigation stored‐grain insects OHS efficacy |
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