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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #273191
Title: Application of biocontrol agents in forest nurseries

Author
item Weiland, Gerald - Jerry
item LITTKE, WILLIS - Weyerhauser Company
item BROWNING, JOHN - Weyerhauser Company
item EDMONDS, ROBERT - University Of Washington
item JOHNSON, NATHAN - University Of Washington

Submitted to: Proceedings of Methyl Bromide Alternatives Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2011
Publication Date: 11/30/2011
Citation: Weiland, G.E., Littke, W.R., Browning, J.I., Edmonds, R., Johnson, N. 2011. Application of biocontrol agents in forest nurseries. Proceedings of Methyl Bromide Alternatives Conference, 10/31/11-11/2/11 in San Diego, CA.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Bare-root conifer seedling culture consists of growing seedlings (sown or transplanted) in soil, and is the predominant method for supplying America’s need for healthy regeneration stock to produce and sustain forests, wildlife food sources, fiber, wood products, paper, bio-pharmaceuticals and now potential biofuels. Each year well over 100 million seedlings are grown for regeneration purposes in the Western United States. Soil fumigation with methyl bromide and other chemical agents has been the operational means to assure that soils are free of weeds and pathogens. Recent state and federal regulations, including EPA RED decisions on reregistration of soil fumigants, significantly reduce the amount of fumigants that can be applied in forest nurseries and thereby impact this critical aspect in the successful culture and regeneration of America’s forests and woodlands. It is therefore important to understand how new fumigation application rates and cultural regimes will fit into the overall seedling production operation. Furthermore, it is imperative to design and test new pest control strategies that can consistently deliver cost-effective and environmentally acceptable integrated pest management (IPM) alternatives for disease and weed control, enhance seedling yields, quality, and field performance. Specifically, conifer bare-root nurseries require effective soil fumigation coupled with alternative disease control methodology (i.e. biocontrol agents) to mitigate a root pathogen complex against falling fumigant rates and loss of chemical fumigant registration. Here we report preliminary results from a study where nonfumigant and reduced-rate fumigant treatments were applied.