Phosphine distribution during fumigation of wheat in steel bins: extended abstract

Phosphine is a widely used fumigant for controlling insects in stored grain, but fumigation effectiveness is often compromised by suboptimal distribution of the gas. Leaks in the grain bin wall and roof, foreign material in the grain, and phosphine placement contribute to regions of insufficient concentration of fumigant, resulting in insect survival and leading to phosphine-resistant insect populations. Phosphine distribution was studied during field tests in temporarily sealed bins to compare distribution from conventional probed tablets to the distribution using a closed-loop recirculation system. The results showed uneven distribution patterns and leakage over time with conventional probed tablets, which resulted in some areas in the lower half of the grain mass receiving no phosphine and some other locations remaining below the target phosphine concentration for the entire period of fumigation. The closed-loop fumigations with the same phosphine dosage yielded much more uniform phosphine concentrations, but suffered from equal or greater phosphine leakage losses.