Rotting plants protect grain

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Date
1995
Language
en
Type
News Item
Accessibility
Open Access
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Citation
CTA. 1995. Rotting plants protect grain. Spore 57. CTA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Permanent link to cite or share this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10568/47079
External link to download this item: http://collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/en/d/Jcta57e/
Abstract/Description
Rotting plants give off carbon dioxide (CO2) which can help to control pests of stored grain. Putting decomposing vegetable matter with stored grain provides a cheap pest control system. Maintaining high concentrations of CO2 in grain stores is a...
Notes
Rotting plants give off carbon dioxide (CO2) which can help to control pests of stored grain. Putting decomposing vegetable matter with stored grain provides a cheap pest control system. Maintaining high concentrations of CO2 in grain stores is a well known technique for protecting grain in large silos, as CO2 is lethal to most insects. However, the system requires huge amounts of CO2 to be pumped into the stores, so it is not a very practical method for small storage containers. Now Israeli scientists working with researchers in Costa Rica, have developed a simple system for generating CO2 and transferring it to small containers. Small bins, which hold about 200kg of grain, have a 10 litre container placed on top and the two are connected with a length of hose pipe. The smaller container becomes the biogenerator and holds waste vegetable matter which gradually decomposes and produces CO2. CO2 is heavier than air and sinks through the pipe into the lower storage container full of grain. In trials in Costa Rica, chopped sugarcane and bananas decomposed to produce CO2 which protected stored maize grains. In Israel, chopped maize and sorghum stems were used to generate CO to protect wheat. Within seven days very high mortality of pests such as the red flour beetle and the maize weevil, was achieved. Dr N Paster Department of Stored Products Agricultural Research Organisation POB 6, Bet Dagan ISRAEL 50250
Subjects
CROP PRODUCTION AND PROTECTION;
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