INNOVATION IN RADIO FREQUENCY TECHNOLOGY FOR QUARANTINE AND PRESHIPMENT (QPS) TREATMENT OF WOOD PACKAGING MATERIALS

in the us, the use of methyl bromide fumigation for quarantine and pre-shipment purposes continues to rise with the expansion of world trade and globalization. the us wood products industry will continue to employ methyl bromide for these purposes such as treatment of wood packaging materials (and related wood products as long as alternative, cost-effective treatments are not available. wood packaging material can serve as pathways for pests posing risks to living trees. the focus of this proposal is to develop, deliver, and promote optimized treatment schedules for a new radio frequency technology with added pressure that minimizes energy consumption for the major wood species and material dimensions used to construct wood pallet materials by the industry through utilization of a constant power supply solid-state treatment unit. the goal of this project is to expedite broad-scale adoption of this technology by the industry as a replacement for methyl bromide fumigation.