Small-grains growers continue to have several options available for protecting their stored grain this fall.

“Many growers are under the mistaken impression that Reldan® 4E is no longer available for stored grain protection,” says Glen Karaffa, stored grain products manager for Gustafson LLC.

“Although the EPA has proposed to allow Gustafson to sell Reldan 4E until Dec. 31, 2004, it is possible that some modification or extension may occur,” Karaffa says.

Karaffa also offers clarification concerning another Gustafson product for stored grains, Storcide™ insecticide.

“Storcide is a superior product for protecting stored grains against pests, including the lesser grain borer,” says Karaffa. But growers should be aware that one of the components in Storcide lacks CODEX MRL (maximum residue limits). That means some countries may not accept grain that has been protected with Storcide. Grain protected with Storcide should be restricted to domestic use only.”

Karaffa says that in addition to protecting stored grain, Storcide is an excellent choice for use as a bin and warehouse spray.

In the near future, Gustafson will offer a new product for stored grain, called Storcide II. Both active ingredients in Storcide II have CODEX MRL tolerances. Storcide II is currently awaiting EPA registration, and Gustafson hopes to receive a federal label by the end of 2004.

Storcide II is effective against the lesser grain borer and other stored grain pests of wheat, barley, oats, rice and sorghum. Target pests include granary weevil, rice weevil, red flour beetle, confused flour beetle, sawtoothed grain beetle, Indianmeal moth, Angoumois grain moth, lesser grain borer and larger grain borer. Karaffa says that should the Storcide II label be delayed, the EPA may extend the phase-out of Reldan 4E, based upon the input of users.

For more information on the Gustafson stored grain product line, consult your area Gustafson technical representative, crop protection dealer, seed supplier, Extension specialist or consultant.

Gustafson is the seed treatment industry’s research, development and technical authority. The company also is North America’s leading supplier of proprietary chemistry, biological agents and sophisticated application equipment for seed treatment and seedling protection. The Gustafson product line includes fungicides, insecticides, biological products, grain protectants, seed coatings, seed treatment equipment, treatment applicators and automatic sampling equipment.

Storcide is a trademark of Gustafson LLC. Reldan is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences.