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     A product that has the potential to better Nepal’s agricultural sector as well as the Canadian economy is a powdered insecticide to help decrease the amount of pest infestation in stored grains. This specific insecticide is very efficient, cost effective, non toxic, and has many benefits that makes this product the better choice when compared to pesticides (Hedley Technologies, 2014a). By reducing the pest infestation in stored grains, Nepalese farmers can increase yield and the overall quality of their grains, bringing in more profit and excess product for their families. 

 

     Protect-It® is a product that consists of diatomaceous earth and silica gel (Hedley Technologies, 2014a). Protect-It® absorbs the waxy layer from the exterior of an insect, causing desiccation, a physical method of protection against insect infestation which does not require chemicals (Hedley Technologies, 2014a). A research study done at the Cereal Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, states that inert dusts are effective as they have the ability to damage the cuticle of an insect, causing death by desiccation (Ebeling W, 1971). As insects maneuver themselves around grain, the silicon-dioxide-based dusts absorb the cuticle waxes of the insect (Ebeling W, 1971). Insects are unable to survive when they have lost about 60% of their water or 30% of their body weight, therefore, the lower the humidity, the higher the efficacy of pesticides containing silica (Ebeling W, 1971). Various insects have different levels of sensitivity to inert dusts and the type of grain being treated also affects efficacy of the product (Ebeling W, 1971).

 

Table 1: The lethal dose for 50% and 90% of the population (LD50 and LD90) of various stored- product insects in wheat at 10% moisture content treated with Protect-It diatomaceous earth after 7 days.

Source: Post- harvest insect control with inert dusts. (Fields & Korunic, 2002). http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~fieldspg/fields/korunic-2002.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Protect-It® can be used in a variety of places, inside and around containers, equipment, and places where any products are processed, stored, or transported (Hedley Technologies, 2014b).  This product protects grains from a variety of insects such as weevils, beetles, mites, and larvae. (Hedley Technologies, 2014b). A few benefits of Protect-It® include that there is no applicator certification necessary, it is unnecessary to remove the product from the grain before processing, there is no re-entry waiting period after application, no degrading or dissipating so long as the grain is in storage, protection against infestation of the most common stored grain insects, and the use of Protect-It® does not affect milling, malting or baking quality (Hedley Technologies, 2014a). In addition, livestock can consume grain that has been treated with Protect-It® as it is not considered hazardous when ingested. (Hedley Technologies, 2014c). This is very important to farmers to ensure that their livestock stays healthy and is not affected by the use of Protect-It®. This product can be easily applied by anyone, almost anywhere, in amounts based on the type and amount of grain and pest being treated (Hedley Technologies, 2014b). The amount of product required for various pests and stored grains is shown in the table below.

 

Table 2: The amount of Protect-It® necessary for treating different pests in different stored grains.

Source: Protect-It®- For insect control in stored grain, warehouses, and processing facilities. Product label, 2014. http://www.hedleytech.com/CN_PI_5kg_label_Feb12.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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