Efficacy of Hydrogen Cyanide Fumigation as a Treatment for Pests of Hawaiian Cut Flowers and Foliage After Harvest

Abstract

Efficacy of 30 min fumigations at 2,500, 3,700, and 4,600 ppm of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) was tested in the laboratory as a treatment against representative Hawaiian quarantine pests. Effective results were obtained for nymphs and adults of the banana aphid, Pentalonia nigroneroosa Coquerel, in red ginger flowers;an armored scale, Pseudaulacaspis cockerelli (Cooley), on oleander leaves; the green scale, Coccus viridis (Green), on ixora leaves; and nymphs of the coconut mealybug, Nipaecoccus nipae (Maskell), on palm. Other species of mealybugs and ants also were susceptible to the treatment, particularly at the highest concentration. Mostnymphs and adults of a thrips, Sciothrips cardamomi (Ramakrishna), in red ginger flowers survived all concentrations of fumigation. All adults of an orchid weevil, Orchidophilus aterrimus (Waterhouse), survived the treatment. The suitability of HCN fumigation is discussed.