The use of FumBox<sup>®</sup> - mobile fumigation container for date treatment with phosphine

Abstract

Stored product insect pests, mainly sap beetles and moths, attack dates during the storage period. Currently, after methyl bromide phases-out, phosphine fumigation, heat treatment, and modified atmosphere are used for date disinfestation. Each of these methods has advantages but also serious limitations. To improve phosphine fumigation for date disinfestation, FumBox® -a mobile fumigation container -was designed and tested in commercial conditions. The FumBox® , modified dry 40 ft. HC standard container (76.4 m 3 ), was equipped with a newly developed platform generating and constantly monitoring phosphine gas concentrations, air temperature and relative air humidity of the fumigated goods. Magtoxin® Plates 56 % and Phos-toxin® Tablets 56 % (Detia Freyberg GmbH, Germany) were used. Dates of Medjool variety were treated. The phosphine was used at a dosage range of 1-3 g/m 3 and the exposure time between 24-72 hrs. Total date disinfestation was achieved in all fumigation treatments. The use of Magtoxin Plates with the D.G. provided more effective, quicker, and safer date disinfestation compared to Phostoxin tablets. The fumigated dates were phosphine residue-free. No changes in organoleptic properties were noted.