Treating Bins for Storing Wheat On-Farm

2002

 

From a one on one conversation. A farmer in Caldwell County, KY was unable to hold wheat in his on-farm bins for more than a few months because of his inability to control stored products insects. In the past he would have had to sell his wheat during the summer and receive a smaller payment or hold the wheat into the fall and risk having a dock in payment or outright rejection of the grain, because of the presence of an insect infestation.

 

Upon the recommendation of an Extension Entomologist this producer switched the insecticide he used to treat his bins before storing grain, from and old product (malathion) to a relatively new product (cyfluthrin). By making this single change in his management system the producer was able to hold his grain into the cool season, there by allowing him greater marketing opportunities.

 

 This ability to hold grain for a better market has a significant impact on a producers profitability. In this case the producers has two 5,000 bushel bins. In the course of an average year wheat prices will vary from summer to winter sufficiently to provide at least a $0.50 per bushel increase in value after storage cost are removed. So in this case the value of the change in management would mean and increase of 10,000 bu X $0.50/Bu = $5,000.

 

It is also, noteworthy that the switch of insecticide was made on treatment of empty bins. The probable alternative would have been to treat the grain directly with the old insecticide. This would not have help solve the problem (which could have cost the producer money in dockage) and would have placed an unnecessary insecticide residue on the grain. While this change in management tactic does not represent the complete management plan it does illustrate how a single tactic change can make a significant difference in outcome.  

For additional information on this project contact:

Dr. Doug Johnson

Extension Entomologist and State IPM Coordinator
University of Kentucky Research & Education Center
PO Box 469
Princeton, KY 42445
e-mail : doug.johnson@uky.edu