New ARS/Industry Agreement To Seek Bio-Based
Methyl Bromide Alternatives

ARS has a research and development agreement with Gustafson, Inc., a company in Plano, Texas, to find a multi-faceted approach to controlling nematodes and fungal pathogens in vegetable transplants. Gustafson is a leading research group and a manufacturer of seed treatment products. Nancy Kokalis-Burelle, recently hired as an ARS research ecologist at Fort Pierce, Florida, negotiated the agreement with Gustafson. She was hired by ARS to work on biologically based alternatives to methyl bromide.

Her primary aim has been to more clearly define the function of microbial interactions in biological control of foliar and soilborne fungal pathogens and nematodes. In particular, she has been studying how to manipulate microbial communities to effectively compete with plant pathogens to achieve biological control and how to successfully incorporate these strategies into integrated pest management systems.

"We're testing organic amendments, natural plant compounds, and rhizobacteria to promote plant growth," Kokalis-Burelle says. "These bacteria enhance plant growth and protect roots from pathogens in a variety of ways. These include producing antibiotics and siderophores, which bind iron in the soil. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria may also induce a systemic resistance response in the host plant."

Organic amendments, such as by-products from agriculture and other industries, have also been used to control soilborne pathogens in a variety of crops, she says. "However, adding organic matter to soil to control soilborne pathogens and establish beneficial soil microflora is often impractical for large-scale field application. One alternative to field application is to add amendments to soil-less transplant mixes."

And Kokalis-Burelle will be doing that in cooperation with Gustafson, Inc., and Speedling, Inc., a company in Sun City, Florida, that just started collaboration on the project.

"Our goal is to develop a product to be added to vegetable transplant growing mixes that will provide enhanced plant growth and protection against soilborne pathogens in the field. We plan to evaluate the effect of the mixes—both with and without soil solarization—against a wide range of soilborne pests of tomato and pepper in Florida," Kokalis-Burelle reports. "The combination of amended transplant mixes with soil solarization may further enhance colonization and survival of the applied plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and the beneficial effects of these microorganisms on host plants."

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Last Updated: April 22, 1998