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K-State Today

September 6, 2012

Phillips, colleagues write guide on stored food products, pest management

Submitted by John Ruberson

Tom Phillips, professor of entomology

Each year numerous pests destroy crops in the field and their depredations are well known. However less well-known is the significant damage inflicted by pests on stored grains and other food products, including processed foods.

This damage can be quite significant and particularly devastating in areas where food may be scarce and storage conditions are poor. Tom Phillips, professor of entomology, and his colleagues David Hagstrum, retired USDA-ARS in Manhattan, and Geritt Cuperus, professor emeritus at Oklahoma State University, have recently edited a guide to protection of stored products from a range of pests.

The book, “Stored Product Protection,” is a comprehensive training manual and handbook on the biology and ecology of key stored product pests and chemical and nonchemical approaches to managing them. The book addresses the significant regulatory and economic issues involved in managing these pests.

The 31 chapters in the book are authored by the world’s leading experts in the area and cover management of insects, molds and vertebrate pests.

"Given its comprehensive scope and the breadth of expertise represented, the book will become a standard reference in the field," said John Ruberson, professor and entomology department head. "Global needs for the transportation and storage of food supplies susceptible to pest degradation are increasingly acute and make this book of importance to a wide range of users, from storage operators and pest managers to researchers and regulators."

The book was published by Kansas State University and is available online from the Kansas State Research and Extension bookstore.