FTIC‎

Development of Heat Disinfestation Technology for Dates Varieties in Packing Houses as Alternatives to the Use of Methyl Bromide

Prof. Shlomo Navarro, Dr. Simcha Finkelman, Prof. Gilad Ashbell, Dr. Dan Rimon.

Abstract: Thermal disinfestation of Medjool variety dates is successfully implemented as an alternative to methyl bromide in Israel. All Israeli dates packing houses have adopted the method for this date variety. To study the implementation of the method to other date variety trials were carried out on: Deglet-Noor in branches and Zahidi in bulk (inside Dolev type crates), and Halawi in factory type boxes. Laboratory and field tests of Deglet-Noor in branches were very successful and encouraging to indicate the possibility of implementing thermal disinfestation of this date variety in Dolev type crates. In commercial scale trials temperature increase indicated the successful application of the method. Laboratory and commercial scale disinfestation trials failed to cause changes in the colour of branches and the dates. Shedding of individual dates from the branches exposed to thermal disinfestation was similar to control. In commercial scale trials with Halawi date variety stored in factory boxes (12kg), air flow rate and temperature increase rate, suitable for thermal disinfestation, could be achieved only after reduction in the quantity of the dates in the ducts. These promising results encouraged expansion of the thermal disinfestation method to Deglet-Noor on branches, and Zahidi and Halawi varieties in factory boxes. The conceptual infrastructure for the value and the cost of various parameters of various currently applied disinfestation methods was established. The transition period to thermal disinfestation is involved in changing the accepted practices and investment in new systems. It is most desireable that these investments are carried out in a professional maner for reducing the cost of thermal disinfestation particularly by preferring the version that uses solar energy.

Key words: Dates, thermal disinfestation, Deglet-Noor, Zahidi, Halawi, methyl bromide alternatives, quality preservation