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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #301287
Title: Anaerobic soil disinfestation for soil borne disease control in strawberry and vegetable systems: Current knowledge and future directions

Author
item SHENNAN, C - University Of California
item MURAMOTO, J - University Of California
item Mazzola, Mark
item MOMMA, N - Chiba University
item KOBARA, Y - National Institute For Agro-Environmental Sciences
item LAMERS, J - Wageningen University
item Rosskopf, Erin
item Burelle, Nancy
item BUTLER, D - University Of Tennessee

Submitted to: Acta Horticulturae
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/7/2014
Publication Date: 6/18/2014
Citation: Shennan, C., Muramoto, J., Mazzola, M., Momma, N., Kobara, Y., Lamers, J., Rosskopf, E.N., Burelle, N.K., Butler, D. 2014. Anaerobic soil disinfestation for soil borne disease control in strawberry and vegetable systems: Current knowledge and future directions. Acta Horticulturae. 1044:165-176.

Interpretive Summary: Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), also known as biological soil disinfestation (BSD), is being studied by researchers in numerous countries, including the U.S., Japan, and the Netherlands. Work in Japan has progressed rapidly as a result of the use of ethanol as the labile carbon source. This has been possible through the registration of an ethanol product that is specifically designated for use in BSD. In California, rice bran has been utilized as the principal carbon source. In Florida, molasses has been used as the carbon source and has been combined with composted broiler litter to achieve anaerobic conditions. Research in Tennessee has utilized molasses, but in a dry form. In each location, soilborne pathogens have been controlled using this method, but weed control may still present an issue that has hindered adoption of the technique in the eastern U.S. Additional research is currently underway to overcome the obstacles to greater adoption in all areas in which ASD is being considered.

Technical Abstract: Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), a biological alternative to soil fumigation, has been shown to control a wide range of soil-borne pathogens and nematodes in numerous crop production systems across Japan, the Netherlands and the U.S. A brief review of the status of the science behind ASD and its application for commercial settings is discussed for each country. Future work needs to focus on how to optimize the technique (in terms of carbon source used, temperature and degree of anaerobiosis attained) to control specific sets of pathogens, and to better understand which mechanism(s) are responsible for disease control in different situations. The role of observed microbial community shifts as a result of ASD in immediate disease control and long term disease suppression needs to be more fully explored. Further reductions in the costs of ASD compared to fumigant use will help increase adoption of the technique which is currently limited by cost and uncertainty about its effectiveness at controlling different pathogens across a range of environments.