Articles
RECAPTURED QUARANTINE METHYL BROMIDE: AN ALTERNATIVE TO METHYL BROMIDE FOR SOIL DISINFESTATION?
Article number
1044_51
Pages
381 – 388
Language
English
Abstract
The Montreal Protocol currently controls use of methyl bromide (MB) for soil disinfestation, but not for quarantine and pre-shipment (QPS) purposes.
Nordiko Quarantine Systems have developed and commercialised methods for recapturing MB from QPS uses on activated charcoal in Australia.
The destruction and disposal of charcoal waste containing used QPS MB from larger scale applications can be costly.
Our research investigated the re-use of charcoal waste containing recaptured MB from QPS applications for soil disinfestation.
Amendment of soil with 3572 kg/ha of activated charcoal containing 7% ex-QPS MB (250 kg MB/ha) controlled natural inoculum of Pythium spp. by 48%, weed emergence by 32%, and increased strawberry runner yields by 132%, compared with untreated soils.
Co-application of charcoal containing ex-QPS MB with shank-injected chloropicrin (Pic) at 250 kg/ha reduced natural inoculum of Pythium spp. by 92%, weed emergence by 87%, and increased strawberry runner yields by 180%. This effect was equivalent to shank-injected MB/Pic (50:50) applied at the same rate (500 kg/ha). Emissions of MB from soils amended with activated charcoal averaged 40% less than those from the shank-injected treatment, although this trend was not statistically significant.
Application technology and quality assurance issues need resolution before registration of charcoal containing recaptured QPS MB could progress in Australia.
In concept, however, recaptured MB from QPS applications could provide industries still requiring critical-use exemptions for MB, such as strawberry nurseries, with a substitute.
Nordiko Quarantine Systems have developed and commercialised methods for recapturing MB from QPS uses on activated charcoal in Australia.
The destruction and disposal of charcoal waste containing used QPS MB from larger scale applications can be costly.
Our research investigated the re-use of charcoal waste containing recaptured MB from QPS applications for soil disinfestation.
Amendment of soil with 3572 kg/ha of activated charcoal containing 7% ex-QPS MB (250 kg MB/ha) controlled natural inoculum of Pythium spp. by 48%, weed emergence by 32%, and increased strawberry runner yields by 132%, compared with untreated soils.
Co-application of charcoal containing ex-QPS MB with shank-injected chloropicrin (Pic) at 250 kg/ha reduced natural inoculum of Pythium spp. by 92%, weed emergence by 87%, and increased strawberry runner yields by 180%. This effect was equivalent to shank-injected MB/Pic (50:50) applied at the same rate (500 kg/ha). Emissions of MB from soils amended with activated charcoal averaged 40% less than those from the shank-injected treatment, although this trend was not statistically significant.
Application technology and quality assurance issues need resolution before registration of charcoal containing recaptured QPS MB could progress in Australia.
In concept, however, recaptured MB from QPS applications could provide industries still requiring critical-use exemptions for MB, such as strawberry nurseries, with a substitute.
Publication
Authors
S.W. Mattner, I.J. Porter, J.L. Falco , W. Grullemans
Keywords
strawberry runners, critical-use exemption, methyl bromide recapture, methyl bromide emissions, chloropicrin, methyl iodide, 1,3-dichloropropene
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