Rice is the crop that occupies the largest cultivated area in Taiwan. Every year about 200,000-300,000 ton of rice is stored up in the barns after harvesting and drying. In the past, the measures for preventing pest infestation during storage were mostly chemical-based. However, the ensuing problems of chemical residues and pesticide resistance in pests have become a major concern for consumers and researchers alike. To increase the safety of eating for the public, it is imperative to develop non-chemical control technologies.

    Non-chemical control technologies include biological control and physical control. But the latter is more suitable for use in rice barns. In recent years, TARI has developed a light trap that is effective in controlling pests of stored rice, making use of the pests’ preference of specific light waves, a phenomenon that explains why moths tend to fly straight toward the light. As it works very well on the control of the primary pest of stored rice—lesser grain borer (Rhyzopertha dominica), it is being promoted for pest control in rice barns.

    To enhance the light trap’s attraction to pests, TARI has developed a light-emitting diodes (LED) insect trap, which is not only energy-saving but also has high trapping performance. This insect trap has very good performance in attracting lesser grain borer, trapping up to 2,500 insects every 10 minutes. It has been patented as a utility model in 2013. Using the LED insect trap to control pests in rice barns will greatly enhance the efficacy and safety of pest control, and disperse people’s doubts over chemical residues. The very trap will be a powerful weapon against lesser grain borer.