Development of decision-support tools for managing pests in grain storages

• Badan Urusan Logistik, Indonesia

Indonesia produces about 50 million tonnes of grain, including 30 million tonnes of rice per year worth about A$10 billion. The Indonesian grain-handling agency, Badan Urusan Logistik (BULOG) stores a proportion of the rice production to avoid a seasonal imbalance of supply and demand. As with other ASEAN countries such grain-storage activity is being confronted with several new challenges including: increased competition; increased antipathy to traditional pest control strategies of bag stack spraying or admixing residual protectants; the expected withdrawal of the fumigant methyl bromide which has been associated with ozone depletion; and the emergence of strains of insects with a low level of resistance to phosphine. Similar pressures are facing storage managers in Australia where in excess of 20 million tonnes of grains, grain legumes and oilseeds are produced.

The objective of this project is to improve pest management practices for grain storage in Indonesia and Australia. This will be achieved by the evaluation of existing management practices; study of the influence of residual insect populations on infestation levels; development of decision support systems; and development of training tools and support materials. The research will build on previous expertise at CSIRO where a pilot expert system for the management of stored grain in Australia has been developed. QDPI has also developed an expert system (Grainstore) which includes a simple decision-support system for the use of grain protectants and fumigants.

Researchers will undertake laboratory and field studies to assess factors that influence initial infestation, speed of reinfestation and the effect of alternative management strategies on resistance. Scientists will study the insect populations at selected storages during inloading and storage. The value of amorphous silica treatment of storage surfaces will be assessed. Using standard methodology scientists will also measure resistance to phosphine and organophosphorous insecticides in storage insect populations. In addition, field trials will be undertaken on milled rice in Indonesia and wheat in Australia to test storage systems and treatments.

Using a Windows-based graphical user interface (GUI) researchers will attempt to combine information derived from experience and experiment into an expert system which will allow users to make optimum pest management decisions for particular storages within a grain-handling system.

Specialists in the Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) Program of CTPM will develop computer-aided training tools. A Paradox database application will permit non-entomologists to attempt identification. A new grain management version of the generic training program 'diagnosis' in which the user is able to select management information to make a diagnosis of the problem, will also be developed. For training field staff, simple identification keys, videos and handbooks will be produced.