Phosphine fumigation to disinfest kiwifruit

Abstract

Global use of phosphine as a fumigant has increased in response to the need to replace methyl bromide and with the improved formulations ECO₂FUME and VAPORPH₃OS Phosphine is registered as a postharvest fumigant on kiwifruit in New Zealand and has been used commercially to reduce the risk of detecting live pests Scale insects mealybugs and diapausing twospotted spider mites were exposed to a range of phosphine treatments A 48h low temperature (1746C) fumigation (64083311 ppm) achieved 100 mortality of all life stages of oleander scale insects while a 12h exposure killed all longtailed mealybug life stages A 36h low temperature (2533C) fumigation (43322712 ppm) treatment achieved 100 mortality of all greedy scale insect life stages A 48 to 96h treatment (36001200 ppm) at 115C caused 913100 mortality of diapausing twospotted spider mite adults Use of phosphine as a commercial treatment for kiwifruit is discussed