Grain chinch bugs — Macchiademus diplopterus — are indigenous to the wheat-growing areas of the Western Cape. They are pests of cereals but also cause problems for fruit exporters. By Engela Duvenage. “Ironically, they do not damage fruit at all,…
Trials using ethyl formate yield promising results. By Anna Mouton. “Phytosanitary issues are among the many challenges we face in the international trade of fresh fruit,” said Dr Shelley Johnson, research associate at Stellenbosch University. Johnson has been working on…
Basics, benefits, and the rise of ethyl formate. By Grethe Bestbier. Worldwide, fumigation is recognized as an effective way of controlling phytosanitary pests like chinch-bugs, weevils, mites, and moths. These insects all meet their match in powerful fumigants that safeguard…
The tiny grain pest catching a ride on our fruit. By Grethe Bestbier. The grain chinch-bug — Macchiademus diplopterus — is a grain pest that feeds on cereals and grasses. This tiny critter has made a nuisance of itself by…