Evaluation of nitrogen as an alternative to phosphine for the control of stored product insects, in conjunction with the assessment of the level of resistance to phosphine of stored product insect populations in Greece
Our project
Phosphine (PH3) is the main, and in many cases the only, viable insecticide that can be used for the control of insects that infest stored products and durable food. Although phosphine has been proved very effective for a wide range of species, its continuous use meets with several disadvantages such as the development of resistance by many major stored product insect species. Moreover, phosphine is extremely toxic to mammals, and its application requires specialized personnel and equipment. All the above constitute essential the evaluation of alternative to phosphine methods, which should be safe for the user and environmentally-compatible, effective against insects and satisfactory for the consumers’ demand for residue-free food. One very promising method is the use of nitrogen, which acts through the reduction of oxygen to levels that are lethal for the exposed insects. In this context, the current proposal aims in the evaluation of nitrogen applications for stored-product protection in Greece, especially in the cases where resistance to phosphine is abundant.
Partners
OBJECTIVES
➢ The addition of a new service to the portfolio of AgroSpeCom referring to the disinfestation of products in silos and warehouses using nitrogen, in connection with the rapid diagnosis of the degree of resistance to phosphine.
➢ The reduction of the possibility of pesticide residues in food.
➢ The reduction of disasters in production equipment of the food industries, as is currently the case with the use of phosphine.
➢ The reduction of the exposure of applied pesticides to possible carcinogenic substances, such as phosphine.
➢ The provision of online treatment certification.
Scope
As in Greece phosphine has been for some years the most widespread method for the disinfestation of various commodities in warehouses and silos, the main idea of the proposal is also referred to the development of handy diagnostics for the evaluation of resistance. The level of resistance will then guide the evaluation and introduction of alternative methods of disinfestation, such as the use of nitrogen. Thus, in a second phase, the object of the proposal is the evaluation of a new method in the area of disinfestation, namely the provision of the disinfestation service using nitrogen on-site.
WORK PACKAGES
WP1: Sampling of different of stored product insects from different parts of Greece and different habitats.
WP2: Development of classical and molecular methods for detecting phosphine resistance in Greek populations.
WP3: Evaluation of nitrogen treatment under “real world” scenarios.
WP4: Assessing the impact of nitrogen use on reducing the level of phosphine resistance in different insect populations.
LIBRARY
Publications related to nitrogen application
Publications related to phosphine application
INSTITUTIONS
The work was implemented in the framework of the RESEARCH – CREATE – INNOVATE Action co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union and national resources through it O.P. Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship & Innovation (ΕΠΑνΕΚ) (Project ID:Τ2ΕΔΚ-05327)
