Stored Product Protection in the German Federal Country Rheinland-Pfalz

Abstract

The situation of stored product protection especially of grain on farms and cooperatives is described. The producer intends to sell their grain later after the harvest into the market to obtain better prices. The storage capacities are therefore enlarged. Recommendations for better storage practice hint on the use of aeration ducts beneath stored grain in flat storage and gas tight silo bins. Pest insects found in the past years were: Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella), sawtoothed grain beetle (Ory­zaephilus surinamensis), flat grain beetles (Cryptolestes spp.), beetles of the genus Tribolium, granary weevil (Sitophilus granarius), more frequently the rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae).

On organic farms the diatomaceous earth product Silico-Sec is used against pest insects. Also rodents – mice and rats – have to be controlled regularly on the producer level.

The commercial store keepers apply fumigation. Some years ago, methyl bromide was regularly used for container fumigation to disinfest wooden pallets. Today, sulfuryl fluoride has widely replaced this gas. Since 1999, stored product fumigations have decreased from 40 per year down to 20 per year, partially because of shorter storage periods and increased use of cooling.