Evaluation of The Use of ECO2-Fume Gas in Controlling Five Insect Pests of Stored Dates of the Egyptian Siwi Cultivar

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of ECO2-Fume fumigant gas (2% PH3 + 98% CO2 w/w) at three concentrations against five stored date fruits insect pest: Ephestia cautella, Plodia interpunctella, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Stegobium paniceum and Tribolium castaneum. Also, to evaluate the effect of using this gas on some biochemical characteristics of treated date fruits. Three concentrations of ECO2-Fume gas (30, 40 and 50 g/m3) were tested against the five mentioned
insects for three days inside four piles of Siwi dates cultivar inside in Shounat Qalyub, affiliated with the Agricultural Bank of Egypt in Qalyubia Governorate. The results showed that with increasing the concentration of the gas, the mortality percentage of the tested insects increased, and a concentration of 50 g/m3 was sufficient to reach a 100% mortality percentage for all stages of the tested insects. The results also showed that the lepidopterous tested insects (E. cautella and, P. interpunctella) were more sensitive to ECO2-Fume gas compared to the coleopterous tested insects (O. surinamensis, S. paniceum and T. castaneum), which were more resistant to the gas. In addition, the results showed that treating the semi-dry stored date fruits Siwi cultivar with ECO2-Fume gas at a concentration of 50 g/m3 did not affect the biochemical characteristics of the tested dates compared to the control. Based on the results of this study, ECO2-Fume gas can be an effective replacement for insecticides in protecting stored dates from insect pests for marketing and exporting dates free from insect pests and pesticide residues.