Termites are a major problem for home and business owners around the world. Termites gnaw through wood and burrow under the foundations of buildings causing a great deal of damage to the structure of the building. Phosphine (PH3) is very effective fumigant and is widely used to control pests. PH3 rapidly penetrate through treated material, so it replaced many conventional fumigants for treatment of durable materials. In this study, we have investigated the effectiveness of PH3 fumigation on wood pests, Reticulitermes speratus kyushuensis. We evaluated two bioassay methods; wooden cube (10×10×10 cm) and insect breeding dish in comparison with effectiveness of PH3 penetrations into the timber block. Fumigation to adults of R. speratus was carried in a desiccator system for 24 h at 5 and 15℃. As a result, LC99 of PH3 to R. speratus in wooden cubes and insect breeding dish at 5℃ was 0.183 and 0.177 mg L-1, respectively. LC99 of PH3 in wooden cubes and insect breeding dish at 15℃ was 0.077 and 0.078 mg L-1, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two bioassay methods. Thess results indicate that PH3 described herein merit further study as potential fumigants for termite control.

Methyl bromide (MB) is a widely used fumigant in most of the countries for quarantine purpose. However, MB has been phasing out and under control in many countries because it is listed as an ozone-depleting substance under the Montreal Protocol. In this study, we have investigated the effectiveness of phosphine fumigation on wood pests for developing an MB alternatives. We evaluated two bioassay methods; wooden cube (10×10×10 cm) and normal fumigation procedures in comparison with effectiveness of phosphine (PH3) penetrations into the timber block. Fumigation to adults of Reticulitermes speratus was carried in a desiccator system for 24hr at 5 and 15 ℃. As a result, LC99 of PH3 to R. speratus in wooden cubes and insect breeding dish at 5℃ was 0.183 and 0.177 mg L-1, respectively. LC99 of PH3 in wooden cubes and insect breeding dish at 15℃ was 0.077 and 0.078 mg L-1, respectively.

With the increasing trend of global trades and protection of agro-ecosystem in importing and exporting countries against quarantine pest, quarantine and pre-shipment(QPS) fumigation in perishable commodites like strawberry is critical in terms of quality maintenance of fumigated commodites. Currently, there are limited use of MB fumigation on fruits and vegetables due to low temperature storage and phytotoxic effect or damage in postharvest qualities in many commodites. In this paper, efficacy and quality accessment of methyl bromide(MB) alternatives, ethyl formate and phosphine gas are presented for export strawberry. Efficacy of phosphine gas and ethyl formate are described in terms of concentration × time (CT) products to Frankliniella occidentalis, Aphis gossypii and Myzus persicae.