Project Number: 6618-22000-036-08
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: May 01, 2008
End Date: Sep 14, 2010

Objective:
The goal of the research project is to test anaerobic soil disinfestation as an alternative to methyl bromide for soil fumigation for CA strawberries and select FL vegetable crops. Test parameters will include different carbon souces, irrigation techniques, tarping materials, and timing and length of the tarped period. Approaches will be evaluted for their efficacy against key soilborne pests. A model will be tested that predicts the creation of anaerobic conditions and pathogen suppression under different soil types and conditions. Economic feasiblity will be assessed for each production system.

Approach:
In Florida trials, pre-treatment soil samples will be taken to determine base line nematode and weed populations prior to treatments. Treatment selection for field trials will be based on the optimization studies conducted in California with Florida soil. If chosen as carbon sources, cover crops will be planted in the summer of 2008 and a second sampling for nematodes and weeds performed prior to cutting the cover crop. ASD would begin in late summer 2008 and a bell pepper crop would be planted in September of that year as described previously, and soil monitoring, sampling and analysis done as in CA. Phytotoxicity, plant growth measurements, weed and disease assessments, and nematode assays will be taken every 30 days until harvest. Peppers will be harvested up to three times from 24 plants per plot. After harvest, destructive plant samples will be taken for all plant growth parameters and root gall and root condition ratings. The level of pest pressure will determine if any additional treatments need to be applied prior to the establishment of the eggplant double crop. Eggplant will be planted in to the existing beds and the assessments described for the pepper primary crop will be performed for the second crop. The experiment will be repeated in the following year.