News and Events

The CSIRO Stored Grain Research Laboratory undertakes research and development across the broad range of storage technologies. Recent news and updates of SGRL's research are given below. Further information on these subjects and issues can be obtained from the research section of the web site.


Australian and international events 2007/2008 related to commodity storage and handling are listed.

Review of grain harvest bag technology under Australian conditions
A CSIRO Entomology Technical Report written by James Darby and Len Caddick provides a comprehensive analysis and field evaluation of harvest bag technology; and incorporates a review of hermetic and temporary storage, control of insects and fungi, and preservation of grain quality, under typical Australian storage and handling conditions. October 2007

Entomology hosts an international Post Harvest Timber Forum In a world increasingly connected by trade, timber and wooden packaging is emerging as a major vector for invasive species hitch-hiking around the globe. Delegates from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, China and the United States gathered in Canberra to discuss ways to move timber around the world without threatening the biosecurity of importing countries. December 2006

Harvest bags show promise in farm survey The use of grain harvest bags on Australian farms is increasing, with a reported 500,000 tonnes of grains stored in harvest bags this season. A recent GRDC-funded user survey shows that the uptake of the plastic membrane system is rapid, with many farmers taking to the storage option for the first time, and previous users greatly increasing their use. August 2006

On-farm stored grains are in the bag With funding from GRDC, CSIRO Entomology is investigating harvest bag technology under Australian conditions. The first step is an extensive survey of growers already using the technology to determine what attracted them to it. A small-scale field study will follow that will monitor changing grain conditions over 9 months. February 2006

Storage influences barley malting potential CSIRO researchers have completed a two year study on the influence of storage conditions on the rate of breakdown of dormancy and water sensitivity in Australian barleys. During storage, temperature and seed moisture content interact to influence the rate that dormancy and water sensitivity are broken down and also influence changes in overall malting quality. September 2005

Heat and chemicals control dormancy in Australian barley Pre-harvest sprouting in malting barley is a serious problem that results in downgrading with associated heavy financial penalties to growers. The use of barley varieties with dormant genotypes can reduce weather damage. However, dormancy that persists after harvest is highly undesirable because it prevents malting of newly received barley. This research evaluated different methods to reduce dormancy. September 2005

Vapormate™ - an environmentally friendly fumigant In research funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation, CSIRO Entomology scientists have been studying a naturally occurring compound, ethyl formate, which is found in a wide range of fruits and vegetables, cheese and grain products. Their research has included insect mortality, human and environmental safety and application methods for the fumigant. May 2005

DNA uncovers the origin of psocids The distribution and abundance of psocids in Australia's grain storage system has been on the increase over the past decade. Liposcelis species have been particularly successful inhabitants of grain stores and are now specifically targeted by integrated control programs. Although considerable effort has been invested into chemical control, psocids continue to thrive in older, unsealed stores. March 2005

Grain quality tracked using rapid measurement techniques Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) and Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) are two techniques being evaluated by CSIRO Entomology researchers to track changes in specific quality parameters. During storage many quality traits important for bread making, malting and brewing, and other end-uses, peak and then gradually decline. March 2005

Aeration for farm stored grains Aeration in Australia is playing a greater role in the safe storage of grains on farm. Changes in the landscape of domestic grain marketing that followed deregulation provided farmers the opportunity to sell grain directly to marketing agents and end users. This change has led to a steady increase in grain storage capacity on farms and has also shifted the emphasis of quality control from the former centralised grain storage system more towards the farm. March 2005

On the fumigation trail from Jakata to Mumbai Over the past three years, experienced Australian fumigators have provided training for quarantine agencies in south Asia to improve the safety and reliability of methyl bromide fumigation. The focus of the training has been to enhance the technical expertise of fumigators and assist them to maintain a high standard of fumigation performance. December 2004

Electronic nose technology targets safe storage of crops and foods The availability of rapid and in-line monitoring systems for grain and grain products is limited, and current research at CSIRO is aimed at developing a technology that offers sophisticated real-time monitoring. Ideally, the technology needs to be universal, cheap, simple to use, rapid, reliable and require minimal sample preparation. Potentially, one such technology is aromasensing. This technology is rapid and simple, and capable of remote or on-line analysis. November 2004

Grain bugs exposed in new book Insects that attack and survive in stored durable products are described in a new, comprehensive illustrated guide 'Insects of Stored Products' written by David Rees. All insects of economic and world-wide importance are described in this new reference guide, including key identification features and information on their ecology, geographical distribution and economic importance. Published in Australia by CSIRO Publishing, the book is illustrated with hundreds of close-up colour photographs and is an invaluable reference and field guide. September 2004

New fumigant to replace gas that damages ozone layer CSIRO and the global industrial gas company the BOC Group have signed a deal to deliver to the international market a new environmentally-safe fumigant for treating soil, insect pests, weeds and diseases. September 2004

Unlocking the ways insects pests survive without air A CSIRO scientist is a step closer to solving the mystery of how insect pests survive in low oxygen environments such as grain silos and how to reduce multi-million dollar reliance on toxic fumigants to kills such pests. August 2004

QuickPHlo-C technology delivers phosphine QuickPHlo-C technology, consisting of a new aluminium phosphide formulation and generator, will provide on-site production of phosphine suitable for the fumigation of partially sealed structures. QuickPHlo-C was invented by the Stored Grain Research Laboratory and developed by United Phosphorus Limited, India, in conjunction with the Australian grains industry and CSIRO. July 2004

Problems with mites in grain stores Mites are common inhabitants of stored products of all kinds, including grain and processed grain products. Mites that occur in stored grain include grain feeders, mould feeders, predators and parasites. These can cause occupational health problems for grain industry workers, including skin contact dermatitis, inhalant allergy and asthma, and painful irritation caused by direct biting of human skin. March 2004

Going bush to fight feasting grain pests CSIRO Entomology researchers have been venturing into Australia's bushland to find an effective compound to control insect pests in stored grains. Foliage was collected from selected Australian native trees and shrubs and essential oil was extracted using steam distillation. January 2004

Influence of storage conditions on malting quality of Australian barley The effect of storage conditions on barley quality is of considerable importance to the barley, malting and brewing industries. Storage can either reduce or increase barley and malting quality. Researchers are aiming to better understand the interaction between storage conditions, and barley and malting quality, with emphasis on the influence of storage environments on post-harvest maturation and changes in malting quality. September 2003

New ventures into fumigation of timber and soil The phase-out of methyl bromide use has prompted a worldwide search for alternatives to this rapid action fumigant. The CSIRO Stored Grain Research Laboratory (SGRL) is employing its 30 years of research experience on grain protection to develop potential alternative fumigants for use on timber and timber products, and as disinfectant treatments for soil. July 2003

Ethyl formate for farm stored grains Ethyl formate is an old fumigant which had been evaluated in Australia for grain protection way back in the mid-1940s by the former CSIRO Division of Economic Entomology. The CSIRO Stored Grain Research Laboratory has rejuvenated interest in ethyl formate as a potential fumigant for the protection of farm stored grains. July 2003

Advances in aeration for bunker stores The CSIRO Stored Grain Research Laboratory in collaboration with commercial Bulk Handling Companies has been investigating the use of aeration to better manage grain stored in bunkers. July 2003

Aeration blows harvest blues away Aeration is a technology which can greatly reduce harvest stress by providing greater harvest flexibility, enabling early harvesting of wetter grain and more harvesting hours per day. July 2003

Innovation in aeration control for drying and storing rice The new fully automated Adaptive Discount Control (ADC) technology enables freshly harvested paddy rice to be dried to a specific moisture content without causing kernel breakage, and to maintain the bulk rice at this safe target moisture content for the duration of storage. February 2003

Its the quality that matters Grain buyers and marketers are demanding better quality grain to meet increasingly stringent requirements of their domestic and overseas customers. Researchers are responding to these market signals by developing new and improved methods to rapidly assess the quality of grain. February 2003

Warehouse beetle Trogoderma variabile - a case of mistaken identity SGRL is nearing completion of an Australia-wide survey to determine the distribution of the warehouse beetle Trogoderma variabile. The warehouse beetle inhabits households and premises where foodstuffs are stored. The beetle can potentially attack any dry product of plant or animal origin. January 2003

Keeping the gold in canola oil. The quality of canola oil depends on the quality of the raw material, the oilseed. In turn, the quality of the seed depends on the conditions experienced before and during storage. In Australia, canola is being stored in bulk for prolonged periods before end use or export. Understanding how canola quality changes during storage is important to managing this commodity. July 2002

Dryers to heat-treat insects in farm-stored grains. Commercial grain dryers may have potential to be used to heat-treat grain stored on-farm. SGRL, with financial support from Grains Research & Development Corporation, will assess the suitability of different types, makes and models of commercial grain dryers for the purpose of heat disinfestation. July 2002

Cosmic® safety a down to earth matter. Toxicology might seem to be remote from every day life. But behind the scenes Australian toxicologists are ensuring that the potential hazards associated with the use of veterinary and agricultural chemicals are accurately identified.Dr Bartholomaeus of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has recently taken up a 3-month role within the CSIRO Stored Grain Research Laboratory to work alongside Dr Victoria Haritos, the Laboratory's Toxicologist. They will appraise the available toxicological data for a new chemical COSMIC® and identify what is needed to advance the chemical to full registration. July 2002

Golden returns from CSIRO grains research. Grain storage research by the CSIRO Stored Grain Research Laboratory is showing huge returns to the Australian community, as Paul Lewer reports. With a return of more than $20 for each dollar spent, it has to be one of the best R&D success stories around. The return on that investment - through the SGRL in Canberra - will be more than two billion dollars in benefits by 2025. That's estimated to be $2.33 in benefits for every tonne of grain grown in Australia in the year 2000, growing to $2.47 per tonne by 2002 and up to $4.03 by 2005. May 2002

Super Heated Bugs. Insects are known to respond to changes in increasing temperature by developing a greater tolerance to heat. However there is limited information on this phenomenon in post-harvest fresh fruit pests. CSIRO Entomology investigated the ability of the Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni, to develop increased tolerance to heat treatment. May 2002

Ethyl formate for grain disinfestation. Ethyl formate is being investigated for potential use as a grain fumigant. Ethyl formate is currently used on dried fruit for insect control and is also used as an additive for foods for various reasons. It is normally present in a range of grains and seeds and is a widely manufactured and readily available material. April 2002

Carbonyl sulfide shows promise as a grain fumigant. Carbonyl sulfide gas could provide an effective and safe alternative to phosphine, the most widely-used fumigant for on-farm treatment of stored grain. March 2002

Uncovering the secrets of barley dormancy. A project is under way to investigate heating, drying and cooling methods to break dormancy in stored barley. The results of the project will also help barley growers, storers and maltsters to better understand the influence of the storage environment on post-harvest maturation and changes in malting quality of barley. February 2002

Controlled release from new phosphine wax block. A new wax phosphine block, offering a controlled release of the gas, could be a future weapon for farmers in the fight against insects in stored grain. The formulation was developed by CSIRO Entomology, in collaboration with United Phosphorus Limited in India and AusBulk Limited in South Australia. February 2002

New controller to provide flexible operation of aeration systems. The Stored Grain Research Laboratory, with financial support from the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the grain industry, has developed a new control technique called 'adaptive discounting' that will provide a flexible mode of operation for aeration systems. January 2002

Media releases. SGRL media releases are listed.

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