PLAGUE CONTROL WITH PHOSPHINE FUMIGATION Alex Bustos President of Expoflores
the
Technical
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Phosphine, used as hydrogen phosphide, is a gaseous product that by means of a technique patented by the Fosfoquim Enterprise from Chile, can be applied to the environment in closed chambers to all types of food products such as fruits, cut flowers and grains among others, without cutting the cold chain, in other words, it can be applied under cold temperatures and in the boxes and packages that we normally use within flower growing in Ecuador.
There are various equipments for the application of phosphine: the 19 grams per minute HDS 80; the 50 grams per minute HDA 200; and, the 200 grams per minute HDS 800, which can be useful to fumigate a chamber which holds a capacity of 800 m3. Countries such as Japan and the United Stated of America recognize the system as effective. Chile maintains international agreements within which all its fruits for export have to pass through this system so the destination country accepts the products without inconveniences. In other words, Ecuador could promote its flowers as “free of plagues” and stop having the problems that exist at present due to the presence of plagues in Ecuadorian flowers.
Phosphine has been used for over 80 years in the world and the presentation that we all know is as aluminum phosphide, which is used in the form of tablets in the grain silos and selfcombusts when it enters in contact with oxygen. Within the advantages of the use of phosphine for plague control we have that: • • • • •
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It does not change the color, smell or taste of the product. It does not leave residues. It deactivates rapidly in the environment degrading to phosphates, in other words, it does not have any impact upon the environment. It does not cause phytotoxicity. It does not contain ammonium and this is why it can be applied at low temperatures.
The dose that is applied to fruits varies between 1500 and 2000 ppm, being able to reach 10.000 ppm if it were necessary. More than 95% of plagues are controlled after being exposed to this product and exposition time varies depending on the type of plague.
REVISTA N° 32 - ECUADOR Y SUS FLORES
In the same manner, in the case of any producer that has the presence of plagues in flowers, it will no longer be necessary for Agroquality (Agrocalidad) to destroy the product, fumigating the flowers with phosphine would be enough and the product would be ready for export. The phosphine fumigation chambers are of delicate usage and for this reason it is considered that if this system is implemented in Ecuador, fumigation chambers should be located near the production center and in the international ports and airports. Company Directors from Fosfoquim visited Ecuador and held meetings with authorities both from Agroquality, as from the Ministry Coordinator of Production. All the facilities for the registration of the product were offered to them (usually it takes a year), so that the process does not take more than three months at the most. In this manner we expect a definite solution to one of the many problems that affects Ecuadorian flower growing. With absolute certainty, if the system is implemented, Ecuador is going to be able to promote its flowers as “clean”, achieving this with the application of an environmental friendly product, free of residues that could affect anyone’s health.
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