Resistance monitoring of key insect pests has shown that combined grain protectants are a valuable integrated pest management tool for stored grain. Up to 30 per cent of freshly harvested grain is treated with contact insecticides – or grain protectants – before being placed into storage.
Lentil storage study to bring cold, hard facts to hot issue of safeguarding grain quality. Storing lentils on-farm can help growers streamline logistics and target better prices. However, the impact of storage on important market traits such as colour, cooking quality and germination is still a bit of a mystery.
A new study sheds light on the efficacy of phosphine control of cowpea weevil, or bruchids, in mungbeans and chickpeas.
Using an alternate fumigation chemical to break the development of insect pest resistance will help protect the efficacy of phosphine fumigation
Resistant rusty grain beetles, one of the flat grain beetles, have been found throughout the grain supply chain, suggesting the need for adoption of area-wide integrated pest and resistance management.
Australian growers have relied heavily on phosphine fumigation to disinfest stored grain and meet market expectations for high-quality grain with nil tolerance to insects. However, reliance on one chemical over a long period of time has led to resistance.
The practice of requiring a phosphine gas reading of less than 0.3ppm in a spear sample taken from within the grain threatens costly rejection of truckloads of grain, including for operators who are following phosphine label directions.
With care, bags and bunkers can provide a practical solution to the harvest logistics challenge. High-quality sealed silos offer top-of-the-range storage, but the boom in demand for on-farm storage means growers are also exploring cheaper options to expand capacity. Bags and bunkers have become a popular, more affordable choice, but growers need to be on their toes to avoid costly failures with these temporary storage solutions.
Take a sneak peek at some of the storage extension team’s favourite systems. The grain storage extension team regularly meets growers and industry participants on-farm to run workshops and provide specialist advice. Examples of well-laid-out facilities, smart features, ideas and innovations are highlighted here to help inspire other growers who are investing in grain storage infrastructure.
New testing set to reveal back pressures for Australian grain under aeration. Achieving sufficient airflow is essential for effective grain aeration, and back pressure – the resistance to airflow through the grain – is one of the important variables determining success. But much of the information used to determine aeration back pressure is outdated and was generated under Northern Hemisphere conditions.