Chances are you are among many producers who take the time to clean out their grain bins before harvest. Although not a particularly exciting or comfortable job, it is well worth the effort to prepare your bins for your new crop storage. Old crop is the primary source of grain infestation for new crop going into storage. Even a handful of grain residue is enough to harbour hundreds of insects. When new grain is stored, insects can easily migrate into new grain from old grain residues in grain bins, aeration systems or from the outside in piles of rotting grain.

An important key to keeping insects out of your grain is to adequately prepare your grain bins by cleaning and then applying Protect-It® before harvest. Cleaning grain bins involves sweeping, and if possible, vacuuming grain residues lodged in cracks and crevices around floor perimeters and on top of structural supports. Sweepings should be burned or buried.

After cleaning, apply Protect-It® to control any insects that remain in the bin. Protect-It® can be applied from outside the bin using the aeration fan or dust blower (call Hedley for details). The advantage of this is that the dust covers all surfaces in the bin from the ceiling to floor, including under the plenum forUnlike most insecticides, Protect-It® remains effective for as long as it is present in your empty bin. This allows for advance application at your convenience, without risk of re-i nfestation.

Empty Bin Application:

Dry – use aeration fan or hand blower to get the Protect-It® powder into the empty bins. Cover inside surface area of bin at a rate of just under 500 grams per 1,000ft2 (5g/m2).

Spray – Mix 1.5kg (1,500 grams) of Protect-It® into 10 litres of water. Spray inside surface area at a rate just under 5L per 1,000ft2 (50mL/m2).

Sample application rates for empty bin treatment (dry):

2 eight ounce cups = 100 grams of Protect-It®

For more information and specific application rates and methods visit:
Visit: Empty Bin Treatment

or call Hedley Technologies Ltd.