CRITICAL CHALLENGES FOR THE PHASE-OUT OF METHYL BROMIDE IN THE AUSTRALIAN STRAWBERRY INDUSTRY

2014 ◽  
pp. 367-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.W. Mattner ◽  
M. Milinkovic ◽  
P.R. Merriman ◽  
I.J. Porter
2020 ◽  
Vol 110 (5) ◽  
pp. 956-968 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald J. Holmes ◽  
Seyed Mojtaba Mansouripour ◽  
Shashika S. Hewavitharana

Strawberry production has historically been affected by soilborne diseases such as Verticillium wilt. This disease was a major limiting factor in strawberry production in California in the 1950s and was the main reason that preplant soil fumigation with methyl bromide (MB) was developed in the late 1950s. MB fumigation was so successful that over 90% of the commercial strawberry fruit production in California utilized this technique. However, MB was subsequently linked to ozone depletion, and its use was phased out in 2005. The California strawberry industry was awarded exemption to the full phase-out until 2016, when all MB use in strawberry fruit production was prohibited. MB use continues in strawberry nurseries under an exemption to prevent spread of nematodes and diseases on planting stock. This review examines the impact of the MB phase-out on the California strawberry industry and evaluates the outlook for the industry in the absence of one of the most effective tools for managing soilborne diseases. New soilborne diseases have emerged, and historically important soilborne diseases have reemerged. Registration of new fumigants has been difficult and replacement of MB with a new and effective alternative is unlikely in the foreseeable future. Thus, crop losses due to soilborne diseases are likely to increase. Host plant resistance to soilborne diseases has become a top priority for strawberry breeding programs, and cultivars are increasingly selected for their resistance to soilborne diseases. The intelligent integration of a variety of management tactics is necessary to sustain strawberry production in California.


2010 ◽  
pp. 99-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.W. Mattner ◽  
I.J. Porter ◽  
R.K. Gounder ◽  
R.C. Mann ◽  
B. Guijarro ◽  
...  

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 525b-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.J. Locascio ◽  
D.W. Dickson

In past work, dichloropropene + 17% Pic (1,3-D + Pic) at 327 L·ha–1 plus pebulate provided good control of nematode, soil fungi, and nutsedge in mulched tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and is considered the best alternative for methyl bromide (MBr) + chloropicrin (Pic), which is scheduled for phase-out in the United States by Jan. 2001. Metam-sodium did not provide acceptable pest control. In the present study, metam-Na (295 L·ha–1 combined with Pic (168 kg·ha–1) + 4.5 kg·ha–1 pebulate, and 1,3-D + 35% Pic at 168 and 225 L·ha–1 + pebulate were compared to MBr-Pic (98-2% at 345 kg·ha–1 and 67-33% at 505 kg·ha–1). Fumigants were injected into the bed except metam-Na and pebulate were surface-applied and incorporated and drip tubing and mulch were applied. Marketable yields with MBr-Pic, 225 L·ha–1 1,3-D + Pic, and metam-Na + Pic were higher than with the check. Yields with metam-Na alone or with additional water before transplanting were similar to the check. Nutsedge was controlled with MBr-Pic and all treatments with pebulate. Nematode root-gall ratings were high on tomato grown without fumigants (8.9 rating on a scale of 0 to 10 with 0 = no galling), low with MBr-Pic (0.33), and intermediate with all other treatments (2.2 to 5.5) except with 168 L·ha–1 1-3-D + Pic (8.3). This study indicates that metam-Na + Pic + pebulate also is a possible alternative to MBr-Pic for tomato.


HortScience ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 1045-1049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy N. Motis ◽  
Salvadore J. Locascio ◽  
James P. Gilreath

Yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L.) interference with bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) has become an important concern because of the phase-out of methyl bromide as a soil fumigant. The critical period for yellow nutsedge control in pepper was determined in two adjacent experiments (removal and plant-back) conducted twice in separate fields each Spring and Fall 2000 in Gainesville, Fla. In the removal experiment, nutsedge was planted with pepper in all but the full-season (13 weeks) weed-free controls and removed at 1, 3, 5, and 7 weeks after pepper transplanting (WAPT). Full-season weedy control plots in the removal experiment were obtained by never removing nutsedge planted with pepper (0 WAPT). In the plant-back experiment, all but the full-season weed-free controls received nutsedge with nutsedge planted at 0 (full-season weedy control), 1, 3, 5, and 7 WAPT. Sprouted nutsedge tubers were planted at a density of 45 tubers/m2. Results indicated that a nutsedge-free period from 3 to 5 WAPT in spring and 1 to 7 WAPT would prevent >10% yield reductions of large and marketable peppers. Full-season nutsedge interference reduced pepper yields by >70%. When planted with pepper, nutsedge shoots grew taller than pepper plants with nutsedge heights at 5 WAPT up to two times greater in fall than spring. Results indicated that yellow nutsedge control practices should be initiated earlier and continue longer in fall than spring due to faster early-season nutsedge growth in fall than spring.


2005 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin A. Carter ◽  
James A. Chalfant ◽  
Rachael E. Goodhue ◽  
Frank M. Han ◽  
Massimiliano DeSantis

2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 526-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally M. Schneider ◽  
Bradley D. Hanson

Nursery producers of perennial fruit and nut plants rely on preplant fumigation to meet regulatory requirements designed to ensure nematode-free planting stock. In the past, preplant treatments with methyl bromide or high rates of 1,3-dichloropropene were the preferred treatments. However, the phase out of methyl bromide due to environmental concerns and evolving regulations on the use of 1,3-dichloropropene has increased the need for effective and economical alternative fumigation treatments in open field nursery production. A field trial was conducted in a commercial nursery to test weed and nematode control with several tarped and untarped preplant applications of 1,3-dichloropropene, chloropicrin, and iodomethane in comparison with methyl bromide. Crop safety and nematode infestation were evaluated on a wide range of tree, vine, and berry nursery stock. No fall fumigation treatment in this study resulted in measurable injury to spring-planted nursery stock. There were few statistical differences between methyl bromide and the other fumigation treatments in crop establishment, crop quality, or nematode level at planting 5 months after treatment, although some untarped treatments had detectable levels of the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.). At grape (Vitus vinifera) and bramble (Rubus spp.) harvest after the first growing season, few statistical differences were noted in the number of nematodes isolated from roots; however, only methyl bromide had nondetectable levels in all varieties. The highest nematode levels were usually found in untarped iodomethane:chloropicrin and untarped chloropicrin plots. At tree harvest 26 months after fumigation, root-knot nematodes were isolated from the roots of highly susceptible tree varieties in several iodomethane:chloropicrin treatments and in chloropicrin alone plots. Untarped applications did not provide commercially acceptable control of weeds or root-knot nematode in this trial. Tarped applications of 30:70 and 50:50 iodomethane:chloropicrin provided nematode control similar to 1,3-dichloropropene, although not as good as methyl bromide. Iodomethane:chloropicrin combinations have been registered in other states and should be considered for use in California perennial fruit and nut crop nurseries as an alternative to methyl bromide.


HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 507C-507
Author(s):  
William Terry Kelley ◽  
David B. Langston

The phase out of methyl bromide has precipitated a need to reduce usage of the all purpose fumigant. Reduction in methyl bromide use can extend the life of existing stocks and make it more likely to continue critical use exemption for future production. Traditional widths for plastic mulch covered beds in Georgia ranges from 32 to 36 inches. By reducing bed top widths, it could be possible to reduce the amount of methyl bromide applied by as much as 60%. The objectives of this work were to evaluate the effects of narrower bed tops and lower rates of methyl bromide on pepper and cantaloupe growth and yield. Bed top widths of 36, 30, and 24 inches were each tested with broadcast rates of 400 and 300 lb/acre of both 67:33 and 50:50 methyl bromide-chloropicrin at Tifton, GA in the fall of 2005. Bed widths were the main plot and methyl bromide rates the sub plot. Plots were 20 feet long with two rows of pepper planted per bed with 12 inches between plants and one row of cantaloupe planted per bed with two feet between plants. All beds were on 6-ft centers and fertilizer rates were constant across plots within a crop. There were four replications. Otherwise normal cultural practices were employed. Crops were harvested at maturity and data collected on yield and plant growth. Pepper yields were depressed by early cold weather. The 24-inch bed tops produced significantly lower yields of extra large, large and total fruit, but had greater top dry weight and root fresh weight than the 36-inch beds. There were no differences found among methyl bromide rates for cantaloupe or for pepper except extra large fruit were greater at the highest rate compared to the lowest. There were no differences among bed top widths for cantaloupe yield or plant growth.


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