We assessed the susceptibility of three fumigants on Phthorimaea operculella, which is an important pest of stored potato worldwide. 5 to 6 initial dosage of each fumigants were treated on every growth stages of P. operculella. Methyl bromide showed 100% mortality at CT 33.40mg h/ L on egg, CT 14.41mg h/L on late larvae, CT 31.89mg h/L on pupae and CT 16.01mg h/L on adult, respectively. The LCT50 of methyl bromide was 19.115mg h/L on egg, 3.934mg h/L on late larvae, 13.810mg h/L on pupae and 6.260mg h/L on adult, respectively. In case of phosphine, 98% mortality was achieved at CT 16.77mg h/L on egg, and 100% mortality was achieved at CT 16.58mg h/L on late larvae, CT 18.54mg h/L on pupae and CT 12.28mg h/L on adult, respectively. The LCT50 of phosphine was 1.457mg h/L on egg, 2.236mg h/L on late larvae, 1.282 mg h/L on pupae and 0.253mg h/L on adult, respectively. In case of ethyl formate, 100% mortality was achieved at CT 96.21mg h/L on egg, CT 101.30mg h/L on late larvae, CT 120.66mg h/L on pupae and CT 148.30mg h/L on adult, respectively. The LCT50 of ethyl formate was 23.730mg h/L on egg, 13.706 mg h/L on late larvae, 29.578mg h/L on pupae and 19.235mg h/L on adult, respectively.

The susceptibility of three fumigants, methyl bromide, ethyl formate and phosphine, and concurrent treatment of ethyl formate and phosphine were tested on Lasioderma serricorne. Susceptibility assessment were performed by treating 5 to 6 initial dosage on every growth stages of L. serricorne. The LCT50 of methyl bromide was 13.896mg h/L for egg, 36.038mg h/L for late larvae, 25.172mg h/L for pupae and 21.758mg h/ L for adult, respectively. The LCT50 of phosphine was 0.317mg h/L for egg, 0.649mg h/L for late larvae, 3.748mg h/L for pupae and 0.703mg h/L for adult, respectively. In case of ethyl formate, the LCT50 was 43.657mg h/L for egg, 137.606mg h/L for late larvae, 72.676mg h/L for pupae and 52.951mg h/L for adult, respectively. Concurrent treatment of ethyl formate and phosphine was performed by treating 5 to 6 initial dosage of ethyl formate with 0.5 mg/L phosphine for 4 hours on every growth stages of L. serricorne. The LCT50 of ethyl formate concurrent treatment was 13.746mg h/L for egg, 8.156mg h/L for late larvae, 27.087mg h/L for pupae and 11.353mg h/L for adult, respectively, and these results indicate that concurrent treatment can control pest with lower dosage and shorter period. Sorption rates and ventilation periods of each fumigants were also calculated for efficacy and safety

The existing ethyl formate fumigant is carbon dioxide (CO2) mixed liquified gas in metal cylinder, but this product type costs a lot to manufacture, translate and maintain cylinder. To supplement these problems, we have developed a new ethyl formate fumigation technique with nitrogen (N2) carrier. We assessed the susceptibility of mealy bugs, the most frequently detected pests in imported banana, and phytotoxicity of banana fruits. Ethyl formate and nitrogen were concurrently treated on citrus mealybug, one of the most resistant mealybug to fumigant, and ethyl formate was treated with LC50 product of independent treatment dosage. Nitrogen was treated with 7 dosages from 79% to 95% concentration. Phytotoxicity of banana was assessed by treating EF 35 mg/L with N2 79% for 14 days, and color, sugar contents and loss of weight were measured. EF with N2 treatment showed more than 50% of mortality on every growth stages, and there was no significant difference between control and treatment banana fruits. These results indicate that concurrent treatment of EF and N2 can be used to control mealybug in banana fruits.

Recently, phosphine resistance of Sitophilus oryzae has been reported from China, India, Brazil and Australia. In this study, susceptibility of three fumigants were assesses on phosphine resistant and susceptible S. oryzae to investigate domestic phosphine resistance level and to use base data for resistance control. On susceptible insects, LCT50 of phosphine was 0.440mg h/L for egg, 0.602mg h/L for early larvae, 3.901mg h/L for late larvae, 6.171mg h/L for pupae and 0.295mg h/L for adult stage, respectively. LCT50 of methyl bromide was 9.997mg h/ L for egg, 12.113mg h/L for early larvae, 18.952mg h/L for late larvae, 21.104mg h/L for pupae and 17.824mg h/L for adult stage, respectively. LCT50 of ethyl formate was 75.795mg h/L for egg, 60.110mg h/L for early larvae, 160.491mg h/L for late larvae, 255.797mg h/L for pupae and 77.711mg h/L for adult stage, respectively. On resistant insects, LCT50 of phosphine was 6.959mg h/L for egg, 28.456mg h/L for early larvae, 48.170mg h/L for late larvae, 29.106mg h/L for pupae and 16.550mg h/L for adult stage, respectively. LCT50 product of methyl bromide was 17.842mg h/L for egg, 14.900mg h/L for early larvae, 25.840mg h/L for late larvae, 43.520mg h/L for pupae and 16.397mg h/ L for adult stage, respectively. LCT50 of ethyl formate was 60.034mg h/L for egg, 64.450mg h/L for early larvae, 149.028mg h/L for late larvae, 140.408mg h/L for pupae and 66.043mg h/L for adult stage, respectively. Domestic resistant S. oryzae showed 4 to 56 times higher resistance rate than susceptible insects.

Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, is an important pest of grape and strawberry because it lays egg inside fruit by damaging fruit surface. Recently, D. suzukii has been widely spreaded and causes several problems, so many countries include Australia designated D. suzukii as an important quarantine pest. Because of this, Korean farmers have trouble to export strawberry. In this study, we tested ethyl formate and phosphine to control D. suzukii, and also tested concurrent treatment of ethyl formate and phosphine to reduce phytotoxicity and enhance efficacy. When treated 35g/m3 of ethyl formate for 4 hours, mortality of egg, larvae, pupae and adult stages of D. suzukii was 22.2%, 21.1%, 19.2% and 28.3%, respectively. When treated 1g/m3 of phosphine for 24 hours, all stages of D. suzukii was completely controlled, but caused phytotoxic effect on strawberry. When treated with 35g/m3 of ethyl formate and 1g/m3 of phosphine concurrently for 4 hours, efficacy has been increased with less phytotoxicity than separate treatment. This result indicates that concurrent treatment enhanced efficacy with less phytotoxicity.

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.

Though quarantine use of methyl bromide(MB) is currently permitted in Korea, there has been phasing out and considering ban in many countries due to their ozone depletion properties. VapormateTM, a new gas formulation of ethyl formate(EF) with carbon dioxide, and VivakilTM, a new gas formulation of phosphine(PH3) with carbon dioxide, are MB alternative fumigants to methyl bromide(MB). For applying on import commodities, the efficacy of EF and PH3 was evaluated for 2hr fumigation on egg, nymph and adult stage of citrus mealybug(CMB), Planococcus citri, at two different temperatures(8, 13℃). The CT(Concentration X Time) product of EF to be expect 99% mortality to egg, nymph and adult stage of CMB were 108.3, 22.4 32.4 gh/m3 at 8℃ and 83.2, 25.1, 29.8 gh/m3 at 13℃, respectively. The CT product of PH3 gas to be expect 99% mortality to nymph and adult stage of CMB were 6.50, 2.55 gh/m3 at 8℃ and 3.72, 3.64 gh/m3 at 13℃, respectively. However, PH3 gas applied at high CT(4.2 gh/m3) for 2hr fumigation was not enough to obtain CT to egg stage of CMB at both temperature conditions. These efficacy data based on CT will be useful to predict the CT model in scale-up fumigation at diverse practical conditions.

For replacement of methyl bromide(MB) in Korea, VapormateTM, a gas formulation of ethyl formate(EF) with carbon dioxide, are firslty introduced in import bananas and VivakilTM, a gas formulation of phosphine(PH3) with carbon dioxide, are ready to commercial use in export cut flowers. Their applications are being extended for other import and export commodities. Ethyl formate have been shown to have effectiveness short exposure time(<4hr) but it has a limited application at low temperature for TSM(Two spotted spider mites) due to some phytotoxic to strawberry. Phosphine gas has demonstrated their efficacy to TSM at low temperature but only meets quarantine requirement when applying longer fumigation time(>24hr) to control CA(cotton aphids). We firstly evaluated two MB alternatives, EF and PH3, have enhansive effect within short exposure time(4hr) at low temperature(5℃) for controlling both TSM and CA without any injury to export strawberries.