A NOVEL SOIL FUMIGANT FOR STRAWBERRIES

Adequate and cost effective replacements for Methyl Bromide (MeBr) have been identified for some crops, though it continues to be used for strawberries, tomatoes, peppers and others.
This will change in the coming years when a complete ban on MeBr goes into effect.
Acid-Amine Technologies (USA) and Petramin (Mexico) have developed SFMEF (Patent Pending), a formulation which improves the following properties of its main component: soil penetration, evaporation loss, and mode of flow.
The active disinfestation properties of the main component are retained.
SFMEF was tested as a potential soil fumigant and Methyl Bromide replacement because of its known ability to treat pests as well as our specific knowledge of its environmental compatibility.
The product does not harm the ozone layer, it can be applied to the soil with a minimum of environmental effects, and it is non-persistent, degrading into two naturally occurring substances.
One of these substances is acidic and maintains a nematocidal effect and beneficially helps retain the soil pH in the range of 5.5 to 6.5 which has been found to be optimum for strawberry growth in the central plains of Mexico.
Additionally SFMEF has been tested and proven against the root-knot nematodes, using Nacobbus aberrans as model, showing a 100% mortality of juveniles and preventing egg eclosion during in vitro tests.
The main component of SFMEF is Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is approved as a food and flavor additive up to 500 ppm.

VI International Strawberry Symposium

I. Williams, J.C. Williams, L. Hernández, G. Maya

root-knot nematodes, Nacobbus aberrans, ethyl formate, formic acid ester, soil disinfestation, methyl bromide

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.842.209