Sampling Options for Farmers to Detect Insects in Stored Grain

Increasingly, Queensland farmers are choosing to store grain longer on farm, and many farmers are investing in new silos to increase storage capacity. This trend is driven mainly by the desire of farmers to manage their harvest logistics rather than seeking to maximise profit. The problem is that increasing on-farm storage comes with an increasing risk of insect infestation. There is an urgent need, therefore, for appropriate sampling methods to help farmers manage this risk and minimize marketing delays. Ideally, they should be simple, safe, cost effective and easy to interpret. The project aim was to investigate such options and it had three deliverables: a review of the relevant peer reviewed literature, preliminary sampling data from farm trials in Queensland, and feedback from farmers and stakeholders on sampling needs and preferences of farmers. The literature review highlighted the value in direct sampling of grain for insects and the use of probe traps in the grain bulk. It also highlighted the need for locally generated trial data, because of the need for data that are relevant to local storage conditions. A successful pilot study was completed on two farms in southern Queensland. A series of recommendations was developed and knowledge gaps requiring further research were identified. Three industry meetings provided opportunities to highlight the urgent need for sampling methods for farmers, to present results of the field study and to receive industry feedback. The project represents a first step towards providing farmers with the ability to monitor for grain insects, but more research is needed to before this goal can be achieved

Phosphine fumigation of cool grain

The biosecurity problem addressed was the need to understand and evaluate phosphine fumigation of cool grain (i.e. 20°C or less) as a means of controlling resistant biotypes of insect pests of stored grain which are major EPPs threatening the grain industry. The benefits of cooling and phosphine fumigation are that cooling preserves grain quality and reduces insect population growth, and phosphine kills insects and has a residue free status in all major markets. The research objectives were to: - conduct laboratory experiments on phosphine efficacy against resistant insects in cool grain, and determine times to population extinction. - conduct laboratory experiments on phosphine sorption in cool grain and quantify. - complete fumigation trials in three states (Queensland, WA and NSW) on cool grain stored insealed farm silos. - make recommendations for industry on effective phosphine fumigation of cool grain. Phosphine is used by growers and other stakeholders in the grain industry to meet domesticand international demands for insect-free grain. The project aim was to generate new information on the performance of phosphine fumigation of cool grain relevant to resistant biotypes. Effective control of resistant biotypes using phosphine to fumigate cool grain will benefit growers and other sectors of the grain industry, needing to fumigate grain in the cooler months of the year, or grain that has been cooled using aeration

Survival and reproduction of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) and Sitophilus oryzae (L.) following periods of starvation

This study determined the starvation tolerance of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) and Sitophilus oryzae (L.) in terms of both adult survival and reproduction, the impact of starvation on reproduction not having been studied before. Experiments were conducted at 30°C and 55% or 70% r.h. using a laboratory strain and a field strain of each species. The number of progeny was a better indicator of the impact of starvation on a species than adult survival. Tribolium castaneum was the most tolerant species, requiring up to 35 d starvation before no progeny were produced. Rhyzopertha dominica and S. oryzae required up to 8 d starvation before no progeny were produced. The results suggest that hygiene will have a greater impact on populations of S. oryzae and R. dominica than T. castaneum

Effect of exposure period on degree of dominance of phosphine resistance in adults of Rhyzopertha dominica (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae) and Sitophilus oryzae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Degree of dominance of phosphine resistance was investigated in adults of Rhyzopertha dominica F and Sitophilus oryzae L. Efficacy of the grain fumigant phosphine depends on both concentration and exposure period, which raises the possibility that dominance levels vary with exposure period. New and published data were used to test this possibility in adults of R dominica and S oryzae fumigated for periods of up to 144 h. The concentrations required for control of homozygous resistant and susceptible strains and their F1 hybrids decreased with increasing exposure period. For both species the response lines for the homozygous resistant and susceptible strains and their F1 hybrids were parallel. Therefore, neither dominance level nor resistance factor was affected by exposure period. Resistance was incompletely recessive and the level of dominance, calculated at 50% mortality level, was -0.59 for R dominica and -0.65 for S oryzae. The resistant R dominica strain was 30.9 times more resistant than the susceptible strain, compared with 8.9 times for the resistant S oryzae strain. The results suggest that developing discriminating doses for detecting heterozygote adults of either species will be difficult

Impact of resistance on the efficacy of binary combinations of spinosad, chlorpyrifos-methyl and s-methoprene against five stored-grain beetles

Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of spinosad (a biopesticide), chlorpyrifos-methyl (an organophosphorus compound (OP)) and s-methoprene (a juvenile hormone analogue) applied alone and in binary combinations against five stored-grain beetles in wheat. There were three strains of Rhyzopertha dominica, and one strain each of Sitophilus oryzae, Tribolium castaneum, Oryzaephilus surinamensis and Cryptolestes ferrugineus. These strains were chosen to represent a range of possible resistant genotypes, exhibiting resistance to organophosphates, pyrethroids or methoprene. Treatments were applied at rates that are registered or likely to be registered in Australia. Adults were exposed to freshly treated wheat for 2 weeks, and the effects of treatments on mortality and reproduction were determined. No single protectant or protectant combination controlled all insect strains, based on the criterion of >99% reduction in the number of live F1 adults relative to the control. The most effective combinations were spinosad at 1 mg kg-1+chlorpyrifos-methyl at 10 mg kg-1 which controlled all strains except for OP-resistant O. surinamensis, and chlorpyrifos-methyl at 10 mg kg-1+s-methoprene at 0.6 mg kg-1 which controlled all strains except for methoprene-resistant R. dominica. The results of this study demonstrate the difficulty in Australia, and potentially other countries which use protectants, of finding protectant treatments to control a broad range of pest species in the face of resistance development

Uneven application can influence the efficacy of s-methoprene against Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) in wheat.

The Juvenile Hormone analogue s-methoprene is used to protect stored grain from pests such as the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.). The possibility that uneven application influences s-methoprene efficacy against this species was investigated in the laboratory. Adults of methoprene-susceptible strains were exposed for 14 days to wheat treated at doses of up to 0.6 mg kg-1, or to mixtures of treated and untreated wheat giving equivalent average doses. Adult mortality after exposure to treated wheat was negligible in all cases (3.3%) and there was no significant effect of either average dose or evenness of application. In contrast, the number of adult progeny depended on both the average dose and evenness of application. Average doses of 0.3 and 0.6 mg kg-1 reduced the number of live F1 adults by 99-100% relative to the untreated wheat and no effect of evenness of application was detected. At lower doses, however, efficacy tended to decrease with increasing unevenness of application. When adults from the parental generation were transferred to untreated wheat for another 14 days neither the average dose nor evenness of application in the wheat from which they came had any significant effect on reproduction of these adults. This study demonstrates that uneven application can reduce the efficacy of s-methoprene against R. dominica, but that this is unlikely to influence the performance of s-methoprene against susceptible populations at target doses likely to be used in practice (e.g. 0.6 mg kg-1 in Australia). However, the possibility that uneven application leads to underdosing and selects for resistance should be investigated

Long-term persistence and efficacy of spinosad against Rhyzopertha dominica (Coleoptera : Bostrychidae) in wheat

A laboratory study was undertaken to determine the persistence and efficacy of spinosad against Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) in wheat stored for 9 months at 30 degrees C and 55 and 70% relative humidity. The aim was to investigate the potential of spinosad for protecting wheat from R. dominica during long-term storage in warm climates. Wheat was treated with spinosad at 0.1, 0.5 and 1 mg kg(-1) grain and sampled after 0, 1.5, 3, 4.5, 6, 7.5 and 9 months of storage for bioassays and residue analyses. Residues were estimated to have declined by 30% during 9 months of storage at 30 degrees C and there was no effect of relative humidity. Spinosad applied at 0.5 or 1 mg kg(-1) was completely effective for 9 months, with 100% adult mortality after 14 days of exposure and no five F, adults produced. Adult mortality was < 100% in some samples of wheat treated with 0.1 mg kg(-1) of spinosad, and live progeny were produced in all samples treated at this level. The results show that spinosad is likely to be an effective grain protectant against R. dominica in wheat stored in warm climates

Potential of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid and the oxadiazine indoxacarb for controlling five coleopteran pests of stored grain.

The potential for using imidacloprid (a neonicotinoid) and indoxacarb (an oxadiazine) as grain protectants was investigated in bioassays against resistant strains of five stored grain beetles. The species investigated were Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (the lesser grain borer), Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (the rice weevil), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (the rust-red flour beetle), Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (the saw tooth flour beetle), and Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens) (the flat grain beetle). Each of these species has developed resistance to one or more protectants, including organophosphorus insecticides, synthetic pyrethroids and the juvenile hormone analogue methoprene. Mortality and reproduction after a 2-week exposure of adults to treated wheat depended on species, dose and insecticide. Imidacloprid had no effect on S. oryzae at any dose, but none of the other species produced any live progeny at 10 mg/kg. Indoxacarb had no effect on T. castaneum at any dose, but none of the other species produced any live progeny at 5 mg/kg. The results show that although both imidacloprid and indoxacarb can control at least four of the five key pests tested at doses comparable to those used for organophosphorus protectants, more potent neonicotinoid or oxadiazine insecticides would be needed than either of these to provide broad spectrum protection of stored grain

Synergized Bifenthrin Plus Chlorpyrifos-Methyl for Control of Beetles and Psocids in Sorghum in Australia

The efficacy of bifenthrin (0.5 mg/kg) + piperonyl butoxide (7 mg/kg) + chlorpyrifos-methyl (10 mg/kg) against beetle and psocid pests of sorghum was evaluated in silo-scale trials in southeast Queensland, Australia. The pyrethroid bifenthrin was evaluated as a potential new protectant in combination with the organophosphate chlorpyrifos-methyl, which is already registered for control of several insect pests of stored cereals. Sorghum (200 metric tons) was treated after both the 1999 and 2000 harvests and sampled at intervals to assess treatment efficacy and residue decline during up to 7 mo of storage. Generally, test strains of the beetles Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L), and Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens) were prevented from producing live progeny for up to 7 mo. The treatment failed against one strain of R. dominica known to be resistant to bioresmethrin and organophosphates. Two malathion-resistant strains of O. surinamensis were marginally controlled with 94–100% fewer adult progeny produced. For psocids, no strains of Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel, Liposcelis decolor (Pearman), or Liposcelis paeta Pearman produced live progeny, although the control of a field strain of Liposcelis entomophila (Enderlein) was generally poor. Results show that this treatment should protect sorghum for at least 7 mo against most prevalent strains of grain insect in eastern Australia, although control may be limited in areas in which L. entomophila or pyrethroid-resistant R. dominica are present

Control of Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in paddy rice using chlorpyrifos-methyl or fenitrothion in combination with several other protectants

Combinations of organophosphorus insecticides (chlorpyrifos-methyl or fenitrothion) with pyrethroids (deltamethrin or bioresmethrin) or an insect growth regulator (methoprene) were applied to paddy rice and tested against a multi-resistant strain of Sitophilus oryzae (L). The aims of the study were to determine whether there were significant interactions between the grain protectants and whether such interactions would lead to substantial changes in field application rates. In bioassays of freshly treated paddy, there were significant positive interactions in the following combinations: chlorpyrifos-methyl + deltamethrin, chlorpyrifos-methyl + synergised deltamethrin, chlorpyrifos-methyl + synergised bioresmethrin, fenitrothion + deltamethrin, and fenitrothion + synergised deltamethrin. This synergism was evident in terms of number of adult F1 produced as well as mortality of parents. There was no interaction between chlorpyrifos-methyl and methoprene. The treatments chlorpyrifos-methyl 0.625 mg kg−1, deltamethrin 2 mg kg−1 and deltamethrin 0.25 mg kg−1 + piperonyl butoxide 8 mg kg−1 each produced negligible mortality, but the combinations chlorpyrifos-methyl 0.625 mg kg−1 + deltamethrin 2 mg kg−1 and chlorpyrifos-methyl 0.625 mg kg−1 + deltamethrin 0.25 mg kg−1 + piperonyl butoxide 8 mg kg−1 produced > 60% mortality. Similarly, mortality was 0% for fenitrothion 10 mg kg−1, deltamethrin 2 mg kg−1 and deltamethrin 0.25 mg kg−1 + piperonyl butoxide 8 mg kg−1, but the combinations fenitrothion 10 mg kg−1 + deltamethrin 2 mg kg−1 and fenitrothion 10 mg kg−1 + deltamethrin 0.25 mg kg−1 + piperonyl butoxide 8 mg kg−1 produced > 80% mortality. In long-term experiments mixtures of chlorpyrifos-methyl and deltamethrin or deltamethrin + piperonyl butoxide 8 mg kg−1 were evaluated during up to 24-weeks storage (30 °C, 70% r.h.) following treatment. Strong synergism was evident in tests of freshly treated paddy, but deltamethrin or deltamethrin + piperonyl butoxide had little or no effect on the minimum effective application rates of chorpyrifos-methyl for control of progeny in paddy stored for 6 weeks or longer. The study shows that, despite some significant positive interactions in freshly treated paddy, significant reductions in field application rates are unlikely