This study investigated the fumigant activity of phosphine (PH3) on 2 kinds of mealybug (Pseudococcus longispinus and P. orchidicola (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)) adults and nymphs. All of the two mealybugs adults showed higher LCT99 values than nymphs, and P. longispinus showed higher tolerance than P. orchidicola in a 12 L desiccator. The absorption of phosphine on 13 nursery plants showed 12.2~41.5% difference depending on the plant. All of the mealybugs treated with phosphine 2 mg/L in 0.5 m3 fumigation chamber for 4 h showed 100% fumigant activity, except P. longispinus adult (approximately 90% at bottom part). However, when the exposure time was increased to 24 h, all of them showed 100% mortality. In the treatment of 10 m3 container, the 24 h treatment of phosphine showed 100% mortality to P. longispinus and P. orchidicola adults and nymphs. In all the experiments, no phytotoxicity of phosphine observed on 13 plants until 1 month after treatment.

수출입 묘목류에 있어서 깍지벌레류는 주요한 해충으로 다양한 묘목류에서 검출되고 있다. 깍지벌레류 중 우리나라의 소나무에 피해를 주고 있는 소나무굴깍지벌레는 연 2회 발생하는 해충으로 1세대는 4월, 2세대는 8월에 발생하여 소나무 잎에 피해를 준다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 수출입 묘목류에서 검출되는 깍지벌레류의 소독효과에 대한 정보를 제공하기 위하여 포스핀과 에틸포메이트 그리고 메틸브로마이드를 이용하여 소나무굴깍지벌레를 대상으로 훈증효과를 검정하였다. 포스핀을 소나무굴깍지벌레 알을 대상으로 0.06 mg/L 이상 처리시 난부화억제율은 100%였으며, 에틸포메이트 처리의 경우 성충은 2.6 mg/L, 알은 7.4 mg/L에서 100% 살충활성을 보였다. 그리고 메틸브로마이드를 40 g/㎥으로 2시간 훈증처리시 소나무굴깍지벌레 성충은 100% 치사하였으며, 알의 경우 26.0 mg/L을 처리했을 때 100%부화억제 효과를 보였다.

Azuki bean beetle (ABB), Callosobruchus chinensis (L.) is a cosmopolitan field-to-storage pest of legumes. Its female sex pheromone consists of two isomeric components, 2Z-homofarnesal and 2E-homofarnesal. Two day old virgin adults were exposed to sub-lethal fumigation doses (LC25=2.80 and LC50=3.32 mgL-1) of ethyl formate (EF) to see the effects on adult longevity, fecundity, sterility and female sex pheromone production. Longevity (female; P < 0.001, male; P < 0.001), fecundity (P < 0.001) and sterility (P < 0.001) were significantly affected. The Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry for solid phase micro extraction revealed that release of both of the pheromone components were not affected by LC25 dose of EF. However, the fecundity (per female/day) was significantly (P < 0.001) stimulated by the tested EF doses when the female adults were treated irrespective of the male treatment, probably revealing a hormetic effect. This study provides insight into the effect of EF fumigation on biological activities of C. chinensis.

A combination using phosphine (PH3) and ethyl formate (EF) was performed to compensate for the disadventages (long exposure time and phytotoxicity) of a single substance. P. longisipinus was more susceptible to mixed phosphine and ethyl formate than P. orchidicola in 12 L dessicator. Mortality of mixed treatment was higher than aggregated mortalities that treated individually, so it indicated to have a synergic effect on each other. Ethyl formate was showed higher adsorption rate than phosphine on imported nursery plants and showed differences depending on the plant. P. longispinus and P. orchidicola was showed 100% mortality when phosphine and ethyl formate was treated as 1 g/m3 and 30 g/m3 for 4 hour in 0.5 m3 fumigation chamber and in 10 m3 container. Phytotoxicity was evaluated to mixture of phosphine and ethyl formate at 1 month after treatment.

Methyl bromide (MB) had been routinely used in quarantine and pre-shipment (QPS), despite of strong recommendations to replace technically feasible alternatives of it by International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and current hazardous issues in workplace related post-fumigation process of imported perishable commodities. Due to insufficient ventilations post-fumigation on imported fruits such as citrus, fumigators and related workers in cold storage, load/unload and packing room has been exposed to hazardous conditions (5-100 ppm, MB’s TWA_TLV = 1 ppm). It’s time to replace newly developed phytosanitary disinfestation methods such liquid ethyl formate (EF) with N2 application. It could provide for safer workplace involved on and post-fumigation process, cost-effectiveness as well as meet the environmental friendly solution.

Effective phytosanitary fumigation can prevent the introduction of exotic insects into new areas where they become pests. Traditionally Probit 9 level control (99.9968%) was considered as a stand-alone quarantine treatment. However, unacceptable phytotoxic damage often associated with high-dose treatment to realize Probit 9 level control of a large number of pests has often restricted its practical application. Therefore, quarantine security is being achieved for some commodities using a “systems approach”, where quarantine pests are cumulatively reduced to acceptable levels using independent, pre- and postharvest measures that comprise a systems that effectively mitigate the pest. Preharvest reductions in population through the study and application of chemical ecology involving insect behavior modifying chemicals can be an integral part of systems approach. This results in low pest prevalence prior to end point treatment, where pests may be effectively controlled using a less-than-Probit 9 level, low-dose treatment. In this talk, I discuss the chemical ecology of invasive quarantine pests including Drosophila suzukii and its perspective in the effective end point fumigation treatment using ethyl formate.

Fumigation - one of the chemical methods - is the art of dispensing and applying gaseous substances especially for the purpose of disinfecting. It is an old and widely used technique for disinfestation of postharvest grain, fruit and vegetable. In a fumigation procedure, a gas is added to an enclosure for the purpose of controlling or eliminating undesirable organisms. The organisms may be pests of various types - such as insects, rodents, mites, and birds - or micro-organisms, or particular plants or seeds. The enclosure can be made from a diverse range of materials, including metal, concrete, bricks, mud and various plastic membranes. It is necessary to contain the fumigant while it acts on the target organism and to restrict its escape into areas where it may be dangerous to human health. In many situations fumigation may be the only feasible process for pest control as it does not require the commodity to be moved. Neither might it need specialized apparatuses, electricity, or manpower, and is relatively easy to apply in comparison with other methods, for example, heating and irradiation, as well as the use of protectants to control insects. Because fumigation is often the cheapest and most effective process available, it plays a major, world-wide, role in preserving commodities. However, researchers and operators not always fully understand principle of fumigant and fumigation practice to ensure select right fumigant and exposure time on different target insect pests and host commodities as well as application methods.

The nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and its vector insect Monochamus alternatus are major quarantine pests of timber products in Korea. Due to the phaseout of methyl bromide as a fumigant for plant quarantine and pre-shipment treatments, the need for an alternative fumigant is essential. Based on preliminary studies on the efficacy of ethanedinitrile (C2N2) to these two pests, three quarantine trials on logs covered with PVC-tarpaulins were conducted at three dosages and three temperatures potential for inhalation exposure was assessed by monitoring atmospheric levels of C2N2 in relation to the threshold limit value (TLV, 10 ppm, v/v). Concentration × time products (Ct) of 398.6, 547.2 and 595.9 g h m-3 were obtained for each quarantine trial. A 100% mortality of B. xylophilus and M. alternatus larvae at 23±4°C and 10±4°C occurred with a load factor of pine logs of 46% and at 3±1°C with a load factor of 30%. During all fumigant procedures, atmospheric levels of C2N2 20m downwind from the PVC tarpaulin were below the TLV. During aeration, levels 10 m and 5 m downwind were below the TLV after a maximum of 0.4 h and 1 h, respectively. For the purpose of an emergent quarantine or phytosanitary treatment, specific doses of C2N2 at the temperatures that occurred during fumigation could control B. xylophilus and M. alternatus larvae without significant inhalation risk to workers.

Methyl bromide (MeBr) is well-known as a hazardous chemical to exposed fumigators and related workers as well as a ozone depletion chemical. According to recent report in USA and Korea, when MeBr fumigated on orange and grape at low temperature (<10℃), absorbed MeBr on fruits was slowly released to workplace. To replace MeBr practices urgently, ethyl formate (EF) fumigation is considered safer to worker (TLV of EF = 100 ppm compared to MeBr's = 1 ppm) and free from residual problem. We reports confirmative liquid EF (FumateTM) with N2 trials, which is cost-effective and non-CO2 gas emitted, on imported grapes. The 4hr-fumigation of 70 gm-3of EF (CTP > 114 gh-3) in scale-up chamber (10m3) fumigation (20% l.r.), showed efficacies to many kinds of insect pests, non-phytotoxic damage, providing safer guideline at workplace.

The residual amount of fumigant was measured over time after fumigation on pine wilt disease infected Pinus koraiensislogs in the forests of Yeoncheon and Pocheon. Dimethyldisulfide (DMDS, 99.6%) was treated in large scale fumigation(100m3) in Yeoncheon and measured after removing tarpaulin cover in the 2 weeks of fumigation. DMDS was detectedat the highest concentration of 77.9 mg/kg in the 2nd week of treatment and decreased to 0.6 mg/kg in the 24th week.Metam-sodium (25%) was treated in small scale fumigation (1m3) in Pocheon and the amount of methylisothiocyanate(MITC) was measured after removing tarpaulin cover at each time of investigation. MITC was detected at the highestconcentration of 72.0 mg/kg in the 2nd week of treatment and then decreased to 7.0 mg/kg in the 24th week. However,unlike DMDS, MITC in the 12th week was detected at high concentration similar to the 1st week, indicating that thecontinuity of the sealing with tarpaulin would have a decisive influence on the residual amount change in fumigated logs.

The spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is classified exotic quarantine pest in Australia and EU, soSWD-free must be supported by evidence of surveys and phytosanitary measures in exported host agricultural commoditiesin Korea. From a quarantine control point of view, SWD is importantly considered as model insect pest for exotic fruitflies (Bactrocera dorsalis) in Korea as well because of similarity in ecological cycles. In evaluations of ethyl formate(EF) only and combined cold treatment to kill eggs and larvae of SWD, the combined EF fumigation applied at LCt50%(50% killed lethal concentration X time) and cold treatement (5℃) for > 5 days showed the promise to new conceptfor eradicating quarantine pest and these could be helpful to pre-develop exotic fruit fly management in Korea.

Fumigation activity of Frankliniella occidentalis, western flower thrips, and phytotoxicity were evaluated with phosphine(PH3) and ethyl formate (EF) in the asparagus. Fumigation activity of PH3 and EF showed in the order of egg (64.7 mg·h/Land 132.9 mg·h/L), nymph (5.5 mg·h/L and 14.8 mg·h/L), and adult (3.8 mg·h/L and 14.7 mg·h/L) respectively at 5˚C in12 L desiccator. The adsorption of PH3 was 24% at 5˚C. However, the adsorption of EF increased sharply to 98% at 5˚C.PH3 showed 100% control for all development stage of F. occidentalis with 4g/m3 in 0.65m3 at 2˚C for 48h exposure. Thephytotoxicity was not found. The results revealed that the EF is highly absorbable in asparagus, so it is not suitable as afumigant, but PH3 is considered to be suitable as an alternative MB fumigant for control of the F. occidentalis in asparagus.

Ethyl formate (EF) and methyl salicylate (MS) are naturally occurring and generally safe substances for use. Sub-lethaldoses of EF and MS were evaluated to find synergistic fumigation action against azuki bean beetle (ABB), Callosobruchuschinensis (L.). Susceptibility of the ABB to EF was in the order of eggs =adults >larvae >pupae. Adults was most sensitiveto MS, and followed by eggs. Larvae and pupae were highly tolerant to MS. However, in synergistic effects of EF andMS showed that all the stages of ABB were highly sensitive in the order of adults >eggs >larvae >pupae. Highest synergisticratio was found against adults when using LC10 of both EF and MS as compared to other stages. Notably, MS synergizedthe EF exposure to all stages of ABB. This finding paves the way to exploiting synergistic activity of MS and EF againstABB for the safeguard of stored azuki bean grains.

Ethyl formate (EF) and phosphine (PH3) is an alternative fumigant to methyl bromide (MB). For applying import sweet pumpkins in Korea, the efficacy of EF and PH3 was evaluated on Tetranychus urticae adult and egg stage which is pest in sweet pumpkins. The eggs of T. urticae were more tolerance than adults in both EF and PH3. When T. urticae eggs were treated with EF for 4 hrs, LCT99=107.63 mg/L and LCT99=45.37 mg/L at 5°C and 20°C, respectively. PH3 treatment at 5°C and 20°C for 24 hrs, eggs were controlled LCT99=49.44 mg/L and LCT99=17.23 mg/L, respectively. The mixed treatment of EF and PH3 showed no significant synergistic effect on T. urticae. However, EF (80 mg/L) and PH3 (4 mg/L) treatment did not cause any external phytotoxicity damages in sweet pumpkin even when treated with the maximum amount of fumigant at 5℃ and 20℃ for 24hrs.

Ethyl formate (EF) and phosphine (PH3) is an alternative fumigant to methyl bromide (MB). The egg, nymph, and adult stages of Frankliniella occidentalis in asparagus were examined for the fumigation activity of EF and PH3. The eggs of F. occidentalis were more tolerance than other stages (adults and nymphs) in both EF and PH3. When the EF was treated for 4 hrs at 5℃ and 20℃, the eggs of F. occidentalis were LCT99=98.70 mg/L and LCT99=61.13 mg/L, and adults were LCT99=11.50 mg/L and LCT99=3.18 mg/L, respectively. However, at 5℃ and 20℃, the eggs were LCT99=83.76 mg/L and LCT99=53.6 mg/L, and adults were LCT99=4.58 mg/L and LCT99=3.44 mg/L, respectively for 4 hrs treatment of PH3. The PH3 was not any external phytotoxic damages at the maximum dose (4 mg/L), but the EF caused significant phytotoxicity in asparagus.

The spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is a severe pest of berry fruits like strawberry, blueberry, sweet cherry and grape in terms of quarantine. For the disinfestation of SWD, methyl bromide (MeBr) is the only option in quarantine practice. However, MeBr's current use will be phased out due to chronic inhalation toxicity to fumigators and related worker as well as ozone depletion properties. To replace MeBr, we evaluated the efficacy of ethyl formate (EF) and phosphine gas (PH3) to all different developmental stages of SWD at practical fumigation condition (>25 ℃). To achieve complete control of all stages of SWD, PH3 required > 6 hr exposure when applied at > 1.0 g m-3. In case of 4hr EF fumigation, the LCt99 (LCt99, 99% lethal concentration × time) of EF to egg, larvae and pupae of SWD was 198.09, 77.42 and 115.55 g·h m-3, respectively.

The number of pest detection in wooden pellets has increased since wooden pellets as biomass-solid refuse fuel (Bio-SRF) was allowed an import in Korea. In this study, we analyzed an insecticidal effect on pupal and adult stages of red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) and maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais) in wooden pellets using two fumigants, methyl bromide (MB) and phosphine (PH3), for establishing a guideline on fumigation. MB and PH3 both showed a dose-dependent manner in insect mortality after fumigation under 60% filing rate (FR) of wooded pellets in desiccator. In MB fumigation to T. castaneum, adults and pupae showed 100% mortality at 128 mg/L and 161 mg/L in 10°C at 24 h post treatment and pupae showed 100, 74, and 8% mortality against 99 mg/L of MB in 20, 40, and 40% FR, respectively. In PH3 fumigation, S. zeamais adults showed 92% mortality to 4 mg/L, meanwhile T. castaneum adults showed 100% mortality at 120 h post treatment.

Ethyl formate (EF), a methyl bromide alternative fumigant which is commercially used for quarantine and pre-shipment(QPS) purpose, has a potential to control various insect pests. Based on CTP (concentration × time products), we've firstly evaluated fumigation trials of EF on cucumber plants to eradicate horticultural insect pests in greenhouse. In the preliminary test, EF achieved 100% control of cotton aphid, western flower thrip and tobacco whitefly when CTP of EF was 4.4, 5.6 and 3.3 g h m-3, respectively. In 1300m3 scale cucumber greenhouse trial, EF was applied with 2g m-3 dosage for 15 hrs, and cotton aphid, western flower thrip and tobacco whitefly were completely controlled without phytotoxic symptom. EF fumigation could be suitable for greenhouse cultivation in terms of good efficacy on horticultural insect pests with labor-saving benefit than current insecticide spraying applications.

본 연구는 S. Typhimurium을 대상으로 paraformaldehyde 35%를 함유한 훈증소독제의 살균효과를 평가하기 위해 수행되었다. 예비 시험에서, S. Typhimurium의 현탁액 균수는 모두 3.9 × 108CFU/mL이었으며, 훈증소독제에 노출시킨 모든 담체의 균수는 평판배지법과 여과법으로 배양한 시험균주 현탁액의 균수의 50%보다 많았다. 또한, 대조담체로부터 회복된 S. Typhimurium 균수는 모두 3.3 × 106 CFU/mL이었다. 훈증소독제의 살균효과 시험에서는, 훈증소독제를 처리한 담체의 S. Typhimurium의 감소 균수는 5.22 log CFU/mL로 나타났다. 이상의 결과로부터, paraformaldehyde를 주성분으로 하는 훈증소독제는 S. Typhimurium에 대해 효과적인 살균력을 갖는 것으로 확인되었으며, 병원성 세균에 오염된 식품재료 및 주방용품의 소독에 적용할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

In this study, the virucidal efficacy of a fumigant (35% paraformaldehyde) against avian influenza virus (AIV) was examined. After AIV suspensions had been deposited on stainless steel carriers, the dried carriers were exposed to the fumigant in a 300-m3 test room for 3 h. Thereafter, all carriers were submerged in a neutralizing solution to scrape off the surviving viruses, and the respective suspensions were diluted. Each dilution factor was respectively inoculated into the allantoic membrane of five 10-day-old embryos. After incubation, AIV viability in the collected allantoic fluids was examined and the EID50 was calculated. The fumigant inactivated ≥5.7log10EID50 of AIV and was nontoxic to the embryos.