ARS | Publication request: AREAWIDE IPM FOR INSECTS IN COMMERCIAL GRAIN ELEVATORS

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: April 5, 2006
Publication Date: April 5, 2006
Citation: Flinn, P.W. 2006. Areawide IPM for insects in commercial grain elevators [abstract]. Meeting Abstract. 5th International IPM Symposium, St. Louis, MO, April 4-6, 2006.

Technical Abstract: The USDA, Agricultural Research Service funded a demonstration project (1998-2003) for area-wide IPM for stored wheat in Kansas and Oklahoma. This project was a collaboration of researchers at the ARS Grain Marketing & Production Research Center in Manhattan, Kansas, Kansas State University, and Oklahoma State University. The project utilized two elevator networks, one in each state, for a total of 28 grain elevators. These elevators stored approximately 843682 metric tonnes of wheat, which was harvested from approximately 324000 hectares. During this study, thousands of grain samples were taken in concrete elevator bins. A vacuum-probe sampler was used to take ten 3-kg grain samples in the top 12 meters of each bin at grain elevators. Decision support software, Stored Grain Advisor Pro (SGA Pro), was developed. This software interprets insect sampling data, and provides grain managers with a risk analysis report that describes which bins are at low, moderate, or high risk for insect-caused economic losses. Recommended treatment strategies and economic analysis are presented to the manager. The area-wide IPM program was superior to calendar-based management because it ensured that the grain in each bin was only treated when insect densities exceeded economic thresholds. This approach reduced the frequency of fumigation while maintaining high grain quality. Elevators that followed our recommendations reduced the number of bins they normally fumigated by at least 50%. A new grain-scouting company was started that is using SGA Pro and the sampling tools that were developed in this project. The company is in its second year and has over 30 commercial elevators on contract.