CSIRO's Stored Grain Research Laboratory researching insect control and quality preservation of stored products.

CSIRO battles bugs in commodity trade

CSIRO’s research on insect control and quality preservation is facilitating the world-wide trade of stored durable products.

• 29 June 2006 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Fumigation and fumigation chemistry 
• Engineering and physical solutions
• Biological process 

Many agricultural and horticultural commodities rely on an integrated program to preserve quality and maintain product integrity.

The world-wide trade of durable products poses many challenges to storers and handlers, marketers, buyers and the transport sectors. Insect control and quality preservation are two major challenges.

CSIRO has worked closely with industry to develop sound, cost-effective and safe technologies to maintain the quality of stored durable commodities.

Fumigation and fumigation chemistry

Fumigants are extensively used to control insects in grains and many other durable products during storage, prior to export or at discharge.

Fumigation in Australia presently involves the use of phosphine or methyl bromide. Both of these fumigants however are under threat, methyl bromide from international phaseout and phosphine from insect resistance and occupational health and safety issues.

CSIRO is working closely with industry to develop new fumigants, and to improve the safe use and effective application of existing ones. CSIRO also has a leading role in a national long-term strategy to support the continued use of phosphine.

Engineering and physical solutions

Chemical-free methods of insect control are being increasingly used to meet market demands for residue-free commodities.

Processes such a cooling, drying and heating are also being combined with chemical treatments to improve overall effectiveness, cost-efficiency and product quality.

Engineering concepts are being used to better distribute phosphine and other fumigants during treatment.

Under-dosing due to excessive loss and poor distribution of fumigants is a major cause of insect resistance.

CSIRO is working closely with industry and other research organisations to improve both application techniques and distribution of fumigants in different storage types.

Biological process

Understanding biological process is fundamental to any integrated control management strategy.

Insect ecology research is important to the risk assessment of invasive species, eradication programs and integrated pest management, while research into insect physiology can influence chemical and engineering options.   

We are also involved in the National Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre (CRC).