| Stored product insects cause substantial economic and quality losses to products. This project explored technologies for use in stored product insect management that rely on alternatives to organophosphate insecticides and the fumigants methyl bromide and phosphine. Experiments were carried out in storage bins and in the laboratory. Six major stored product insect species were tested to screen combinations of five protectants and three physical methods individually. (1) The concentration of ethyl formate needed to achieve 99% mortality of two species was reduced by 98.47% and 87.95%, when combined with low pressure that was very slightly or not significantly different from control. (2) Diacon II is excellent for controlling external feeders and some non-completely internal feeding stored grain insects for at least 10 months, but it does not control some internal feeders. Methoprene combined with aeration enhanced the control effect. (3) The combinations of DE at 100ppm with Spinosad at 0.1ppm, Pyrethrins at 1.0ppm, or Storcide II at 0.1 the label rate presented potential synergisms. DE can either reduce the amount of protactants needed to control stored grain insects or increase effects even synergistic effects. |
