Miller Magazine Issue: 131 November 2020

60 COVER STORY MILLER / November 2020 the user but they also take data from the meteorologi- cal forecast and local weather history. The behavior of every silo or warehouse regarding leakage is recorded and utilized to predict future treatments. The recommended dosage depends on insect spe- cies and even resistance statis- tics in the specific region. Figure 7 is an actual screenshot from the Internet-of-Crops® cloud app by Centaur, which overlays a predictive model with actual measurement data coming from phosphine sensors. The success- ful termination of a treatment is predicted, while deviations from the model are flagged im- mediately so that corrective ac- tion can be taken. Can a failing fumigation be saved? A corrective action can be simply a timely gas top-up (Fig- ure 8). In several fumigations, adding gas during the treat- ment is possible, for instance by adding more phosphides in tab- let or pellet form. This is even easier when cylinderized gases are used or when a generator is involved. The need for adding gas during a treatment is usually mandatory when the preparation has not been so thorough, as can happen due to time pressure or other logistical constraints. Then leakage can be more seri- ous than expected and fumigant concentration will drop fast. Continuous monitoring and real time alerts are crucial to save the treatment before some ar- eas in the fumigated area drop below the protocol threshold. Wireless fumigant sensors make real time monitoring very easy, with zero time needed to set up and no tubes or hoses involved! (see Figure 9). People safety Personal protective equip- ment (PPE), real-time monitor- ing, visual and sound alarms shall be involved in every fumi- gation. Life is very valuable to put at risk and modern technol- ogy gives us many tools to use. There is no excuse for risking lives. The modern approach says that the perimeter is monitored Figure 8: Gas top-up is made on this graph, just in time to save the 200 ppm protocol. Corrective actions shall be applied in a timely manner, to avoid underexposure and surviving insects! Figure 9: An operator places a wireless fumigant sensor in a con- tainer, at the start of a fumigation.