GRAIN GROWERS are being advised to make sure their ‘asset’ is safe in store.

Grain pests have the ability to degrade crops and premiums and Interfarm UK says there is still time for them to take the edge off what could be a an ‘income’ harvest.”

“This year growers will need to be proactive in preventing insect pest and mite damage. Prevention is better than cure, and this is particularly true with high value grains,” says Dr David Stormonth, technical manager for Interfarm UK.

“Storage pests cause direct damage to grain and also create conditions in which fungal growth can occur, all of which will adversely affect quality and returns.”

He reckons that Interfarm’s Silico-Sec is an ideal preventative treatment to protect grain from infestations in store. Derived from diatomaceous earth (DE), Silico-Sec is a biophysical treatment, consisting of highly micronised specific amorphous silica (silicon dioxide).

It is applied to the grain surface, either as a low-cost preventative treatment at a rate of 200g/m² or as a localised curative application at the rate of 600g/m², depending on the extent of the problem.