With harvest just around the corner, farmers are being urged to prepare grain stores paying particular attention to hygiene, to avoid costly insect and rodent infestations.

Ken Black, Bayer national account manager, said an integrated approach is vital and if you haven’t already, cleaning and monitoring grain stores should be a priority.

He said: “after the initial clean down, it’s important stores are closely monitored for insect and rodent activity.

“There are simple methods that can be undertaken to ensure early pest identification, allowing early treatment and control.

“To monitor for insects, observe the area on a regular basis, paying particular attention to cracks and crevices. Use insect monitoring traps around the store to capture insects and highlight areas of activity.

“When it comes to rodent monitoring, look for droppings, footprints, gnawing and access points. Consider using a non-toxic monitoring block in areas where activity is identified or suspected.

If pest activity is identified, then a decision needs to be made on the best options for control.

Ken said: “To manage insect infestations, treat walls, floors and roof spaces paying particular attention to ledges, corners and areas where dust and debris accumulate. Ideally treating two months ahead of harvest will give optimum control.”

If rodents are an issue then the CRRU guidelines should be followed before, during and following treatment.

Ken added: “However, it’s essential to assess the situation before using any product and ensure you select the correct rodenticide, with the correct authorisation for the area you’re treating.

“Implementing an integrated approach to pest management in grain stores is a cheap and easy process and can prevent costly grain rejections that could lead to substantial losses of up to £50 per metric tonne.”

For more information visit Bayer at stand 527 at

Cereals

or contact the Bayer Pest Solutions Team at pestsolutions@bayer.com or on 00800 1214 9451.