Phosphine as a fumigant to control <i>Hylastes ater</i> and <i>Arhopalus ferus</i> pests of export logs

Abstract

The black pine bark beetle (Hylastes ater) and the burnt pine longhorn beetle (Arhopalus ferus) are major insect pests of Pinus radiata in New Zealand and are currently listed as undesirable on imported P radiata logs from New Zealand by AQISQ the Chinese quarantine authorities Any discoveries of these pests could endanger one of the most important export markets for New Zealand logs Experiments were carried out to examine the efficacy of the non ozonedepleting fumigant phosphine for eliminating these two pests from P radiata logs at egg larva and adult life stages Direct exposure to phosphine at levels as low as 200 ppm for up to 10 days has disinfested the three life stages of both pests Phosphine has the potential to control both pests in export logs before they arrive in the other countries and may be a replacement fumigant for the ozonedepleting methyl bromide