Dow AgroSciences Develops Software for ProFume

ProFume (Dow AgroSciences LLC), or sulfuryl fluoride, is considered to be a promising methyl bromide replacement for postharvest pest control. Although ProFume is not yet registered or for sale, the EPA registration for this product has been underway for over 2 years. The substance, under the trade name Vikane gas fumigant, has been used for over 40 years as a structural fumigant to eliminate wood-eating termites and wood-boring beetles. Dow AgroSciences has developed a unique software program to accompany its fumigation product, ProFume, upon its successful EPA registration.

"The ProFume Fumiguide software will allow fumigators to conduct Precision Fumigations—defined as optimizing fumigant use to maximize efficiency and minimize risk. Such an approach provides an overall benefit to the fumigation industry by demonstrating good product stewardship," says Brian Schneider, Dow AgroSciences' ProFume biology development leader.

Sulfuryl fluoride has proved to be very effective against active life stages of postharvest pests, according to research conducted by APHIS National Science Program Leader J. Larry Zettler of the Center for Plant Health Science and Technology in Raleigh, NC. However, sulfuryl fluoride requires a higher dosage for egg stages than for post-embryonic life stages (larvae, pupae, and adults).

"Fumigators in the past didn't have clear parameters for conducting precision fumigations. A certain amount of guesswork and assumption regarding the amount of fumigant to use was involved," says Schneider. Currently, the methyl bromide label provides target dosage ranges and exposure times for commodities and fumigation conditions. For example, wheat fumigation options range from using 2 to 9 pounds of methyl bromide per 1,000 cubic feet for an exposure time of 4 to 24 hours.

The ProFume Fumiguide software will allow the fumigator to calculate the target dosage based on all the pertinent variables; that is, pest, life stage, temperature, and exposure time. The target dosage, half-loss time (a measure of gas confinement), exposure period, and structure volume are then used to determine how much fumigant is needed for the job. "This would allow each fumigator to precisely match the dosage to the job, reducing wasted fumigant and assuring control of the target pest," says Schneider.

Dosages will not be specified on the label for ProFume since the accompanying Fumiguide will prescribe the target dosage and amount of fumigant to use for each job. The Fumiguide will provide versatility by calculating dosages and designing introduction plans by entire structures, that is, flour mills, or by sections of structures. Fumigators can prepare fumigation plans in advance and make adjustments on-site. For instance, a specialty flour mill may have the option to provide more time for fumigations to be conducted. By extending the exposure period, fumigant costs can be reduced. On the other hand, a large miller may not have this time flexibility, so the fumigator and miller can use the ProFume Fumiguide to consider optimizing the fumigation by increasing temperature or improving sealing. The ProFume Fumiguide allows the fumigator and customer to optimize the fumigation plan for each job conducted because no two fumigations are the same.

As fumigation monitoring data is entered, the ProFume Fumiguide calculates the dosage achieved and the actual half-loss time. The program also predicts dosage outcome and updates dosage instructions as the job progresses. Recommendations for adding fumigant and/or extending the exposure period are also provided in order to achieve the target dosage and control the pest. If the fumigation is going as planned, it will provide that information also.

The ProFume Fumiguide software is designed for a Microsoft Windows-based personal computer and will work on either a laptop or desktop platform. Units of measure will be metric or English. The software allows the fumigator to keep a file of each fumigation job, as well as prepare reports and graphs of completed jobs. The fumigator can also send and receive files from other ProFume Fumiguide users.

Last Updated: July 2, 2003