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Aussie scientists in chemical-free grain treatment breakthrough

A research team in Western Australia has found a chemical free way to rid grain of insects post-harvest.

The breakthrough has earned the team from the  Department of Agriculture and Food the  Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity (CRCNPB) Science Exchange award for ‘Impact on Industry’.

The team, lead by YongLin Ren, uses a low oxygen technique which provides an  cost effective alternative to the phosphine fumigation that is currently being used in the industry.

“The low oxygen technology is achieved by purging the stored grains with a high concentration of pure nitrogen. This nitrogen is readily sourced from the air as nitrogen constitutes 78 per cent of air,” Associate Professor Ren said in a statement.

“What is most exciting is that the process provides the grains industry with a viable chemical-free treatment and is a low cost alternative to the use of phosphine.”

Ren claims that the process can deliver a higher quality crop to manufacturers and can command higher prices for farmers.

“A Lake Grace farmer who assisted with field trials is now attracting better prices for his grain after it underwent long-term safe storage of wheat and canola with the chemical free process,” noted ren.

The process is already been implemented at grain storages in Perth and Albany with .

Canada and China have already sent delegations to investigate the technology, with Chinese scientists now helping further develop the technology.

The process has only been used for canola and wheat at this stage, however the team hopes to expand to other grains including malting barley and pulses.
 

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