Phytoparasitica (2003) 31 (3) - Inspection and pest monitoring ...

M. Kostyukovsky, Y. Carmi, A. Trostanetsky, H. Frandji and J. Golani (2003)
Inspection and pest monitoring of stored food and feed emergency stocks in Israel
Phytoparasitica 31 (3)
Abstracts 20th Conference of the Entomological Society of Israel, Feb. 11-12, 2003
Abstract: Israel imports approximately 4 million tons of grain each year, with a value of $1 billion. A significant portion of it, plus part of the locally grown wheat crop, is kept as an emergency reserve (ER), being an integral part of the general emergency policy of Israel. The Inspection Unit (IU) of the Dept. of Food Science at The Volcani Center is responsible for the quantity and quality aspects of the ER storage. Inspection and pest monitoring are major components of the IPM strategy, which is aimed at pest control with reduced use of pesticides. The continuous activities of the IU uncovered several changes in the pest population at the storage sites during recent years. For example, a significant decrease in the moth population, as well as an increase in the lesser grain borer Rhizopertha dominica population, were recorded. R. dominica is considered as a very dangerous pest. It was found to be developing resistance to some insecticides (permethrin) and fumigants (phosphine), which were in wide use against stored-product pests. To solve this problem the unit developed an insecticide mixture containing the organophosphate actellic plus the pyrethroid deltamethrin. This mixture proved to be effective against a wide range of grain insects including R. dominica. In addition, an ongoing search for alternative fumigants to methyl bromide (which will be phased out by 2005 because of its ozone-depleting characteristics) has been conducted. The activity of essential oils from aromatic plants as natural fumigants and of some insect growth regulators (IGRs) as substitutes for protectants was checked. The new methods of stored-product pests monitoring, such as pheromone and probe traps, which allowed earlier insect detection followed by more effective treatment, were checked and widely applied. The application of the advanced inspection and monitoring methods, as well as the preventive and control measures, resulted in very low loss levels (~ 0.5%) of the ER in contrast to much higher loss levels in other countries with similar climatic conditions.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Moshe Kostyukovsky

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Rhyzopertha dominica	Stored grain	Israel