Efficiency of Eco2-fume gas against some dry and semi-dry date fruit insect pests in different stores

الملخص EN

The present study aimed to investigate the efficiency of ECO2-fume gas (98%CO2+2%Ph3 w/w) against mature and immature stages of some insect pests infesting dry and semi-dry date fruits in different stores at three storage locations: namely 1-container made from steel in Tamr El-Waha factory at Bader city, Cairo governorate…2-Air conditioned store 170Cat El-Kharga oasis, New Valley governorate…3-Jute bags at Shouna under plastic sheet at Aswan governorate.

The results indicated clearly that when ECO2-fume gas fumigation was used the date fruits stores at the rate of 50 g/m3 for three days exposure period gave 100% mortality of all stages of Ephestia cautella, Ephestia calidella and Oryzaephilus surinamensis.

The obtained data showed that the highest concentration of ECO2-fume during the fumigation period was in a steel container followed by air-conditioned store then at Shouna.

Also no changes in the color of date fruit after fumigation when using of recommended dose of the gas which helps to export the date fruit abroad