Heads Up! Current Pest Alerts

INSECTICIDES FOR USE IN STORED SMALL GRAINS

by Doug Johnson
Extension Entomologist

Earlier this spring you may have seen an article in the Kentucky Pest News on the status of insecticides for use in stored grain. A few things have settled out since then so let's review what is recommended for use on small grains.

Empty Bin Treatments

For use in the treatment of empty bins, our recommendations have not changed. We still recommend the use of Tempo SC Ultra (cyfluthrin). Reldan may also be used. However, if you use Reldan on your grain as a protectant, then you should use a different product on your empty bins.

We do NOT recommend the use of malathion. Most malathion products have lost their stored grain labels. Insect control with this product is not sufficient and overuse of malathion, because of the lack of control, is producing unacceptable pesticide residue on some grain.

Grain Protectants

A new product has entered the market. Storcide is a mixture of chlorpyrifos-methyl (which you know as Reldan) and cyfluthrin (which you know as Tempo). This product is expected to provide good control of both "bran bugs" (flour beetles, flat grain beetle, rusty grain beetle, etc) which are secondary feeders, and our most important beetle pest, the lesser grain borer, which is a primary feeder.

Users are advised to notice the following warning that is on the label of this product. It states, "Cyfluthrin, a component in STORCIDE does not have CODEX MRLs. Please check with your grain handler before exporting." Codex MRLs are values of pesticide residue on the grain that are used by many countries to regulate exposure to pesticide. If your grain is not going out of the country then this is not important. If, however, it is destined for international trade it might be good to let your buyer know ahead of time that you intend to use this product.

Reldan , as of this time, is still labeled for use as a protectant on stored grain. How long this will last is anybody's guess. However, of more importance, is whether or not it will be available. My guess is that it will be replaced in the market with Storcide .

Insecticides are not your only tool for protecting grain. In fact, they may not even be the best tools. Your best management tools remain to store:

--Clean grain, free of trash, dock and broken pieces.

--Dry grain, near 12% moisture. Insects do not like dry grain.

--Cool grain, this is difficult in the summer but even moving the temperature from the 80's to the 70's will help. Consider the use of automatic aeration controllers which will automatically switch on fans when the temperature falls to programed levels.

As always, the base line is: store clean, dry grain in clean, dry bins.

--excerpted from KENTUCKY PEST NEWS Number 991 June 16, 2003

Previous Pest Alerts

	Original document: 27 May 2003 Last updated: 30 June 2003