VATIS UPDATE Article

Recently the board of the Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre (PBCRC), Australia, visited grain growing properties in the Mingenew region of Western Australia to see PBCRC stored grain research in action, as part of regular visits with CRC Participants. “We have been working with the Plant Biosecurity CRC on new ways to manage insect pests in stored grain for several years now. New, chemical-free methods of controlling pests in grain storage silos are vital for growers’ livelihoods,” said Sheila Charlesworth, at Mingenew-Irwin Group, Australia.

“PBCRC researchers are developing several approaches to stored grain protection. Working with growers and industry gives us the opportunity to test them in the real world,” said Dr Michael Robinson, CEO of PBCRC. Annual PBCRC surveys have been monitoring the number of insects Australia-wide with resistance to phosphine, the industry standard fumigant. The results have driven research into alternative control methods.

One of the alternatives is nitrogen technology, which gives growers the ability to control pests in grain silos with low oxygen environments, a technique proving to be both cost-effective and chemical-free. Aeration of grain silos is another useful tool for growers, as lower temperatures slow insect growth and give them a chance to get on top of potential infestations, while also reducing insect resistance and increasing seed viability.