Grain Storage Fact Sheet: Hygiene and structural treatments for grain storages

Published: 25 Jun 2013

Grain Storage Fact Sheet: Hygiene and structural treatments for grain storages

When it comes to controlling pests in stored grain — prevention is better than cure. Grain residues in storages or older grain stocks held over from last season provide ideal breeding sites. Meticulous grain hygiene combined with structural treatments, such as diatomaceous earth (DE), can play a key role in reducing the number of stored grain pests.

Key Points

  • Effective grain hygiene requires complete removal of all waste grain from storages and equipment. 
  • Be meticulous with grain hygiene – pests only need a small amount of grain for survival. 
  • Structural treatments, such as diatomaceous earth (DE), can be used on storages and equipment to protect against grain pests. 
  • Check delivery requirements before using chemical treatments and avoid using with pulses and oil seeds. 

Keep it clean

A bag of infested grain can produce more than one million insects during a year, which can walk and fly to other grain storages where they will start new infestations.

Meticulous grain hygiene involves removing any grain that can harbour pests and allow them to breed.

It also includes regular inspection of seed and stockfeed grain so any pest infestations can be controlled before pests spread.

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Region National, North, South, West, Overseas

Region: National; North; South; West; Overseas