** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS INTEGRATED PROJECT ADDRESSES QUESTIONS 1, 3, AND 4 IN THE USDA-NIFA-ICGP-010334 METHYL BROMIDE TRANSITIONS PROGRAM RFP IN SUPPORT OF THE DRY-CURED PORK INDUSTRY, WHICH DEPENDS ON THE USE OF METHYL BROMIDE (MB) TO CONTROL TYROPHAGUS PUTRESCENTIAE. PREVIOUS RESEARCH INDICATES THAT A CARBOXYMETHYL CELLULOSE BASED FILM WITH 15-20% PROPYLENE GLYCOL CONTROLLED MITE INFESTATIONS IN THE LABORATORY. OUR FIRST HYPOTHESIS IS THAT INTEGRATING NANOPARTICLES AND REINFORCING AGENTS INTO CARBOXYMETHYL CELLULOSE FILM WILL CONTROL MITES IN COMMERCIAL PLANTS AND BE MORE COST-EFFICIENT THAN CURRENT FORMULATIONS. OUR SECOND HYPOTHESIS IS THAT THE USE OF FUMIGANTS, SPECIFICALLY HYDROGEN CYANIDE, CAN CONTROL MITES IN COMMERCIAL HAM PLANTS WITHOUT IMPACTING SENSORY QUALITY AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE HAMS. OUR THIRD HYPOTHESIS IS THAT UVC LIGHTING CAN BE USED BOTH AS A PREVENTIVE METHOD TO CONTROL MITES AND AN INTERVENTION METHOD TO KILL MITES WHEN INFESTATIONS OCCUR. RESULTS FROM OBJECTIVES 1, 2, AND 3 WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH PREVIOUS RESEARCH RESULTS. ADDITIONAL OBJECTIVES INCLUDE CONDUCTING AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS ON COST-BENEFIT SCENARIOS FOR PROPOSED ALTERNATIVES TO METHYL BROMIDE, EVALUATING THE OVERALL IMPLEMENTATION COSTS, AND PROVIDING RESOURCES TO THE INDUSTRY SO THAT THEY CAN SUSTAINABLY PRODUCE HAMS THAT ARE AGED FOR LONGER THAN 5 MONTHS WITHOUT RELYING ON MB FUMIGATION. RESULTS FROM THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT THE SOUTHERN DRY-CURED HAM INDUSTRY IN THE US, AND OTHER INDUSTRIES OF DRIED SPECIALTY MEATS, HIGH-VALUE AGED CHEESES, AND SEMI-MOIST PET FOODS, ALL OF WHICH ARE AT RISK OF T. PUTRESCENTIAE INFESTATIONS.

Mississippi State University, Mississippi State MS

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