Research on alternative fumigants to replace methyl bromide (MB), a harmful ozone-depleting substance and highly toxic pesticide, began in 2007. Initial tests focused on using ethyl formate for fruits and EDN for wood. Subsequently, alternative techniques were developed for a total of 94 plant types using ethyl formate, EDN, and phosphine, demonstrating Korea's superior performance compared to other countries, especially in practical applications. However, when it comes to wood products, the primary users of methyl bromide, EDN is scarcely used due to concerns about worker safety. An emerging alternative to MB is sulfuryl fluoride (SF), widely employed in North America to control wood-damaging pests like termites. SF's advantages include a lower boiling point and higher vapor pressure, making it effective against wood pests. Yet, certain bark beetle eggs require higher doses and longer treatment periods, resulting in established international standards (e.g., 120g/m3 for 48 hours at 20℃), posing challenges for field applications. Recently, the APQA initiated basic research to apply SF to wood. They are assessing SF's effectiveness against various wood-destroying pests, including termites, bark beetles, and long horn beetles, while also evaluating the feasibility of mixed treatments to reduce dosage. Once SF fumigation standards are established, it is expected to significantly reduce methyl bromide use in commonly used wood types, contributing to ozone layer protection and enhancing fumigation work safety.

Since methyl bromide(MB) has been designated as ozone deplete substance(ODS) by Montreal protocol (1989), many MBalternative fumigants like ethyl formate and phosphine gas were developed and commercialized. Ethyl formate(EF) is an effectiveMB alternative fumigant to control insect pests on imported fresh commodities. It is important to develop a proper evaporationmethod to apply EF on large scale fumigation because EF has a high boiling point(54℃). Recently, concurrent treatment ofethyl formate and nitrogen(EF+N2 treatment) has been newly developed. At preliminary test, EF+N2 treatment showed goodevaporation rate and showed high efficacy on quarantine pests without phytotoxicity on fresh commodities. In this trial, we’veapplied the EF+N2 treatment on imported orange and lemon at pilot scale (0.5m3, 10m3) containers and commercial scale containerto validate efficacy and phytotoxicity. 70g/m3 of EF liquid was applied on orange and lemon by EF+N2 treatment method,and showed 100% mortality on tested insect pest(Tetranychus urticae) without phytotoxicity at 0.5m3 and 10m3 scale fumigationtrials, respectively. At commercial scale trial, EF+N2 treatment also showed 100% efficacy on T. urticae and there was nophytotoxic symptoms on imported orange and lemon fruit. These results indicate that the newly developed EF+N2 treatmenthas a potential as a MB alternative, and can be applied on imported fresh commodities for quarantine and pre-shipment purpose.