Ethyl Formate Fumigation against Pineapple Mealybug, , a Quarantine Insect Pest of Pineapples.

Pineapple mealybug, (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is a significant pest in pineapple production and a key trade barrier. We explored the potential use of ethyl formate (EF) as a methyl bromide alternative for the postharvest fumigation of in imported pineapples. When treated at 8 °C for 4 h, EF fumigation was effective against with LCt the lethal concentration × time product of EF necessary to achieve 99% mortality of nymphs and adults at 64.2 and 134.8 g h/m, respectively. Sorption trials conducted with 70 g/m EF for 4 h at 8 °C using 7.5, 15 and 30% pineapple loading ratios (/) indicated that loading ratio lower than 30% is necessary to achieve the LCt values required to control . In a scaled up trial using 1 m chamber, EF fumigation with 70 g/m for 4 h at 8 °C with 20% pineapple loading ratio (/) resulted in a complete control of treated. There were no significant differences in hue values, sugar contents, firmness, and weight loss between EF-treated and untreated pineapples. Our results suggest that EF is a promising alternative to methyl bromide fumigation for the postharvest phytosanitary disinfection of in pineapples.