It is uncommon to fumigate the live plants in quarantine. Ethyl formate (EF) fumigation was carried out in a 0.275 m3 chamber in laboratory for 12 h (over-night) to evaluate the mortality of 4 insect pests and to evaluate the phyto-toxic effect on their host plants. The tested doses were 1, 1.5 and 2 mg/L EF with or without nitrogen gas (N2). The phytotoxicity was evaluated 7 days post-fumigation based on the damage index (DI) scaling 0-4. Mortality >80% were recorded against thrips, whitefly and aphid in all the EF or EF + N2 treatments. Two-spotted spider mite was highly tolerant (<20% mortality at the highest dose tested) to EF. Except for perilla and sesame (DI = 4), EF was non-toxic to other vegetable crops at 1.5 mg/L EF. However, 1.5 mg/L EF+N2 increased DI by 3 for tomato, watermelon and green pumpkin. This new method fumigating live plants certainly demands lots of further experiments to ensure its practical application in farm level. (Supported by PJ0133562018, RDA)

• In-Hong Jeong(RDA National Institute of Agriculture Science, Wanju, Korea)
• Tae Hyung Kwon(Division of Applied Life Science (BK21+ Program), Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Korea, Safefume Inc., Korea)
• Seung-Hwan Ji(Safefume Inc., Korea)
• Byung-Ho Lee(USDA-ARS, Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Hilo, USA)
• Chung Gyoo Park(Division of Applied Life Science (BK21+ Program), Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Korea)