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28 February 2018 Low-Temperature Fumigation of Harvested Lettuce Using a Phosphine Generator
Yong-Biao Liu
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Abstract

A research-scale phosphine generator, QuickPHlo-R, from United Phosphorus Ltd. (Mumbai, India) was tested to determine whether it was suitable for low-temperature fumigation and oxygenated phosphine fumigation of harvested lettuce. Vacuum cooled Iceberg and Romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa) were fumigated in 442-liter chambers at 2°C for 24 and 72 h for control of western flower thrips [Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)] and lettuce aphid [Nasonovia ribisnigri (Mosely) (Homoptera: Aphididae)]. Oxygenated phosphine fumigation for 48 h under 60% O2 was also conducted at 2°C with Iceberg and Romaine lettuce for control of lettuce aphid. The generator completed phosphine generation in 60–90 min. Complete control of western flower thrips was achieved in 24-h treatment, and the 48-h oxygenated fumigation, and 72-h regular fumigation treatments completely controlled lettuce aphid. Lettuce quality was evaluated 14 d after fumigation. There was increased incidence of brown stains on fumigated Iceberg lettuce, and the increases were more obvious in longer (≥48 h) treatments. Both Iceberg and Romaine lettuce from all treatments and controls had good visual quality even though there was significantly higher brown stain incidence on fumigated Iceberg lettuce in ≥48-h treatment and significant differences in quality score for both Iceberg and Romaine lettuce in the 72-h treatment.The brown stains were likely due to the high sensitivity of lettuce to carbon dioxide.The study indicated that QuiPHlo-R phosphine generator has potential in low-temperature phosphine fumigation due to the quick establishment of desired phosphine levels, efficacy in pest control, and reasonable safety to product quality.

Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2018. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.
Yong-Biao Liu "Low-Temperature Fumigation of Harvested Lettuce Using a Phosphine Generator," Journal of Economic Entomology 111(3), 1171-1176, (28 February 2018). https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toy038
Received: 26 September 2017; Accepted: 26 January 2018; Published: 28 February 2018
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KEYWORDS
fumigation
lettuce
phosphine
postharvest pest control
quality
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