Dr. Paul G. Fields

Image Paul Fields
Retired - Research Scientist

I study the ecology and physiology of insects that infest stored products.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Biosystems Engineering, University of Manitoba

Current research and/or projects

Pests of Peas: This project focuses on the bean weevil, Acanthoscelides obtectus, which is a quarantine pest in India.

Invasive Alien Species: This project is to model insects that are quarantine insects in Canada. We are working at modeling the growth and development of the khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium) which is a quarantine in Canada.

Research and/or project statements

There are five main areas to his research program: methyl bromide alternatives in flour mills, extreme temperatures, natural products, insect behaviour and biological control. He has examined: heat, cold, diatomaceous earth, sulfuryl fluoride and the combination of heat, phosphine and carbon dioxide to control insects in flour mills. He has done extensive work on the use of low temperature to control stored product insects. Studies on farms in storage facilities during the winter have demonstrated the ability of insects to become acclimatised to low temperatures. He has examined the use of natural products such as neem, pea extracts and diatomaceous earth to control stored-product insects in bulk grain and in food processing facilities. His work on insect behaviour has focussed on trap design and insect repellants. His work on biological control has focussed on the effects of natural products on stored-grain insect parasitoids and the use of Trichogramma to control Indian meal moth in warehouses and retail stores.

 

Professional activities / interests

Stored Product Entomology Research

Alternatives to the fumigant, methyl bromide

Education and awards

PhD, Biology, Université Laval, 1987

BSc, Biology, McMaster University, 1980

Fellow of Entomological Society of Canada

International experience and/or work

Collaborations with labs in China, Thailand, India, USA and Germany

Additional links

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=DG5TTEYAAAAJ

http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/engineering/departments/biosystems/

Key publications

  1. Shivananjappa, S., Fields, P., Laird, R.A., Floate, K.D. (2020). Contributions of diet quality and diapause duration to the termination of larval diapause in khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). Journal of Stored Products Research, [online] 85 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2019.101535

    2020 - View publication details

  2. Wilches, D.M., Laird, R.A., Floate, K.D., Fields, P.G. (2019). Control of Trogoderma granarium (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) Using High Temperatures. Journal of Economic Entomology, [online] 112(2), 963-968. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jee/toy379

    2019 - View publication details

  3. Narendran, R.B., Jian, F., Jayas, D.S., Fields, P.G., White, N.D.G. (2019). Segregation of canola, kidney bean, and soybean in wheat bulks during bin loading. Powder Technology, [online] 344 307-313. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2018.12.042

    2019 - View publication details

  4. Wilches, D.M., Laird, R.A., Fields, P.G., Coghlin, P., Floate, K.D. (2018). Spiroplasma dominates the microbiome of khapra beetle: comparison with a congener, effects of life stage and temperature. Symbiosis, [online] 76(3), 277-291. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13199-018-0560-5

    2018 - View publication details

  5. Jian, F., Divagar, D., Mhaiki, J., Jayas, D.S., Fields, P.G., White, N.D.G. (2018). Static and dynamic methods to determine adsorption isotherms of hemp seed (Cannabis sativa L.) with different percentages of dockage. Food Science and Nutrition, [online] 6(6), 1629-1640. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.744

    2018 - View publication details

  6. Zhao, X., Wang, D., Fields, P.G., Li, H. (2018). Effect of aflatoxin B1 on development, survival and fecundity of Ahasverus advena (Waltl). Journal of Stored Products Research, [online] 77 225-230. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2018.04.005

    2018 - View publication details

  7. Jian, F., Jayas, D.S., Fields, P.G., White, N.D.G., Zhang, H., Tang, P. (2018). Demography of rusty grain beetle in stored bulk wheat: Part I, population dynamics at different temperatures and grain bulk sizes, 47(2), 244-255. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvy019

    2018 - View publication details

  8. Jian, F., Jayas, D.S., Fields, P.G., White, N.D.G. (2018). Demography of rusty grain beetle in stored bulk wheat: Part II. Mathematical modeling to characterize and predict population dynamics, 47(2), 256-263. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvy002

    2018 - View publication details

  9. Jian, F., Jayas, D.S., Fields, P.G., White, N.D.G. (2017). Water sorption and cooking time of red kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.): part II – mathematical models of water sorption. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, [online] 52(11), 2412-2421. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.13525

    2017 - View publication details

  10. Jian, F., Jayas, D.S., Fields, P.G., White, N.D.G. (2017). Water sorption and cooking time of red kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.): part I – Effect of freezing and drying conditions on water sorption and cooking time. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, [online] 52(9), 2031-2039. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.13481

    2017 - View publication details

  11. Senthilkumar, T., Jayas, D.S., White, N.D.G., Fields, P.G., Gräfenhan, T. (2017). Detection of ochratoxin A contamination in stored wheat using near-infrared hyperspectral imaging. Infrared Physics and Technology, [online] 81 228-235. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.infrared.2017.01.015

    2017 - View publication details

  12. Wilches, D., R.A. Laird, K.D. Floate and P. Fields. 2016. Low and high temperature treatments as alternatives to methyl bromide control of Trogoderma granarium (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). 10th International Conference on Controlled Atmosphere Storage and Fumigation. New Delhi, India, November 7-11. [oral presentation]

    2016 - View publication details

  13. Wilches, D., R.A. Laird, K.D. Floate and P. Fields. 2016. Controlling Trogoderma granarium with extreme temperatures. XXV International Congress of Entomology. Orlando, FL, September 25-30. doi: 10.1603/ICE.2016.91845 [oral presentation]

    2016 - View publication details

  14. Senthilkumar, T., Jayas, D.S., White, N.D.G., Fields, P.G., Gräfenhan, T. (2016). Detection of fungal infection and Ochratoxin A contamination in stored barley using near-infrared hyperspectral imaging. Biosystems Engineering, [online] 147 162-173. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2016.03.010

    2016 - View publication details

  15. Wilches, D.M., Laird, R.A., Floate, K.D., Fields, P.G., 2016. A review of diapause and tolerance to extreme temperatures in dermestids (Coleoptera). Journal of Stored Products Research 68, 50-62.

    2016 - View publication details

  16. Li, Y.Y., Fields, P.G., Pang, B.P., Floate, K.D. (2016). Effects of tetracycline and rifampicin treatments on the fecundity of the Wolbachia-infected host, Tribolium confusum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Journal of Economic Entomology, [online] 109(3), 1458-1464. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jee/tow067

    2016 - View publication details

  17. Senthilkumar, T., Jayas, D.S., White, N.D.G., Fields, P.G., Gräfenhan, T., 2016. Detection of fungal infection and Ochratoxin A contamination in stored wheat using near-infrared hyperspectral imaging. Journal of Stored Products Research 65, 30-39.

    2016 - View publication details

  18. Jian, F., Jayas, D.S., Fields, P.G., White, N.D.G. (2015). A new method to rapidly detect rusty grain beetle, Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens), in stored grain. Journal of Stored Products Research, [online] 63 1-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2015.05.004

    2015 - View publication details

  19. Abdelghany, A.Y., Suthisut, D., Fields, P.G. (2015). The effect of diapause and cold acclimation on the cold-hardiness of the warehouse beetle, Trogoderma variabile (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). The Canadian Entomologist, [online] 147(2), 158-168. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2014.45

    2015 - View publication details

  20. Li, Y.Y., Fields, P.G., Pang, B.P., Coghlin, P.C., Floate, K.D. (2015). Prevalence and diversity of Wolbachia bacteria infecting insect pests of stored products. Journal of Stored Products Research, [online] 62 93-100. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2015.04.009

    2015 - View publication details

Contact

Research facility

Morden Research and Development Centre
Route 100, Unit 100-101
Morden, MB R6M 1Y5
Canada

Expertise

Agriculture›Agri-Food
Agriculture›Entomology›Stored product

Affiliations

Entomological Society of Canada, since 1981 (served on Executive Committee from 1991-1994, President 2008-09)

Entomological Society of Manitoba, since 1988 (served on Executive Committee from 1989-1994, President 2002)

Language

English
French