Major Achievements:

Development of IPM on the winter wheat in Ukraine based on a biocenological approach. The system was introduced in practice in the Steppe Zone of Ukraine with high economic and ecological benefits.

Development of alternatives to methyl bromide for stored-product insect pest control

• - Plant volatiles as natural fumigants: Essential oils; Volatiles from oilseeds of crucifers.
• - New conventional fumigants: methyl iodide, carbon disulfide, ethyl formate.
• - Development of new technologies for the control of stored product insects.
• - Minimization of phosphine use by addition of CO₂, use of gaseous formulation ECO₂FUME and Speedbox.
• - The use of new environmentally friendly insecticides and IGRs as grain protectants.
• - Methods of inspection and monitoring in grain storage.

Development of computerized system for inspection of grain emergency stock in Israel.

Quarantine treatments in cut flowers and fresh agricultural produce.

• - Essential oils for controlling quarantine pests on cut flowers.
• - Pulsing combined treatment for quarantine purpose on cut flowers.
• - Disinfestation of organically grown dates from sap-beetles by heat treatment
• - Optimization of MB treatment in cut flowers, fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Fumigation and dipping of fresh spices.

Improvement of bread-making quality of wheat in Israel by management of sunn pest Eurygaster integriceps.

Selected publications

Kostyukovsky, M., Chen, B., Atsmi, S. and Shaaya, E. (2000).Biological activity of two juvenoids and two ecdysteroids against three stored product insects.Insect Biochem. Molec. Biol. 30: 891-897.

Kostyukovsky, M., Shaaya, E, Bin, C. and Trostanetsky, A. (2001). Biological activity of some IGRs on main stored product insect pests. Phytoparasitica 29(1): 59.

Kostyukovsky, M., Shaaya, E and Ravid, U. (2002). The potential use of plant volatiles for the control of stored product insects and quarantine pests in cut flowers. Acta Horticulturae 576: 347-358.

Kostyukovsky, M., Rafaeli, A., Gileadi, C., Demchenko, N. and Shaaya, E. (2002). Activation of octopaminergic receptors by essential oil constituents isolated from aromatic plants: possible mode of toxicity against insect pests. Pesticide Management Science 58:1101-1106.

Kostyukovsky, M., Trostanetsky, A., Carmi, Y., Frandji, H. and Schneider, R. (2003). Activity of Novaluron on the major stored-product insect pests. Phytoparasitica 31(3): 300.

Kostyukovsky, M., Carmi, Y., Trostanetsky, A., Frandji, H. and Golani, J. (2003). Inspection and pest monitoring of stored food and feed emergency stocks in Israel. Phytoparasitica 31(3): 300-301.

Kostyukovsky M., Shaaya, E. and Ravid, U. (2005).Essential Oils for the Control of Stored Product Insect Pests in Dry Food. First International Symposium on Natural Preservatives in Food Systems. 30 to 31 March 2005 Princeton, New Jersey, USA. 29

Shaaya, E., Maller R., Kostyukovsky, M. and Maller L. (2005). Improving the control of insects in food processing. In: "Handbook of hygiene control in the food industry" H.L.M.Lelieveld, M.A.Mostert and J.Holah Eds., Woodhead Publishing Lim. Abington, England. pp.407-425

Kostyukovsky, M. and Trostanetsky, A. (2006). The effect of a new chitin synthesis inhibitor, Novaluron, on various   developmental stages of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst).  J. Stored Prod. Res. 42: 136-148.

Shaaya, E., Kostyukovsky, M. (2006). Essential oils: potency against stored product insects and mode of action. Stewart Postharvest Review. An international journal for reviews in postharvest biology and technology [Online], August 2006, Vol. 2, No. 4 (paper no. 5)

Shaaya, E. and Kostyukovsky, M. (2007). The potential of phytochemicals, as safe alternatives for the control of stored-product and cut flowers insects. In: Agricultural sustentable: Tecnicas y Productos de Bajo Impacto Ambiental" (Ed. H.L. Saldivar) (in Spanish).

Ogendo O., Kostyukovsky M., Ravid U., Matasyoh J.C., Deng A. L, Omolo E.O., Kariuki S.T., Shaaya E. (2008) Bioactivity of Ocimum gratissimum L. oil and two its constituents against five insect pests attacking stored food products. J. Stored Prod. Res. 44:328-334

Trostanetsky, A. and Kostyukovsky, M. (2008) Transovarial activity of the chitin synthesis inhibitor novaluron on eggs hatch and subsequent development of larvae of Tribolium castaneum. Phytoparasitica 36:38-41

 Kostyukovsky M., Trostanetsky, A., Menasherov M, Hazan T. and Hilel M (2008) Phosphine fumigation with speedbox. Effectiveness and advantages. Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions Reductions. 6-9.11.2008, Orlando, Florida, USA. (81:1-2)

Shaaya, E. and Kostyukovsky, M. (2009) The potential of biofumigants as alternatives to methyl bromide for the control of pest infestation in grain and dry food products In: "Recent Advances in Plant Biotechnology" (Kaufman Peter B. and Kirakosyan Ara Eds.)