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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Parlier, California » San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center » Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #244852

Title: Strawberry Production in Soilless Substrate Troughs – Pathology

Author
item Gerik, James
item Wang, Dong
item ZAZIRSKA GABRIEL, MAGDALENA - University Of California
item Gartung, Jimmie

Submitted to: International Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions Reductions
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2009
Publication Date: 11/10/2009
Citation: Gerik, J., Wang, D., Zazirska Gabriel, M., and Gartung, J. 2009. Strawberry production in soil-less substrates troughs - Pathology. Page 99:1 in: Proc Annu. Intl. Res. Conf. Methyl Bromide Alternatives Emissions Reductions.

Interpretive Summary: Soilborne pathogens were monitored from a strawberry trial where the plants were grown in soilless culture. The strawberries were grown in fabric lined troughs filled with the following substrates: 60% peat:40% perlite, 67% peat:33% rice hulls, 67% coir:33% rice hulls, and 50%Peat:50% redwood soil conditioner. One bed was the standard strawberry raised bed with non-fumigated soil. Field samples were collected from these beds in late August. The samples included root and crown tissue, substrate material and soil from below the troughs, and were assayed for Verticillium dahliae, Phytophthora cactorum, and Colletotrichum spp. Disease incidence and pathogen infection data are being determined and will be presented.

Technical Abstract: California strawberry production has historically been dependent on soil fumigation using methyl bromide/chloropicrin for control of soilborne disease, especially wilt caused by Verticillium dahliae, and rot caused by Phytophthora cactorum. Recent regulations regarding soil fumigant use are making soil fumigation more difficult to use and alternative production systems are needed. In Europe, soilless substrates made of peat moss, coconut coir, perlite, rockwool or bark that are pathogen free have been used in strawberry production in troughs or containers. Two other papers at this conference describe such a system and address plant growth and water use in a soilless production system (Gabriel et al, Wang et al.) In the Watsonville trial referred to in the 2 papers, 5 of the strawberry beds remained non-fumigated. These beds consisted of fabric lined troughs filled with the following substrates: 60% peat:40% perlite, 67% peat:33% rice hulls, 67% coir:33% rice hulls, and 50%Peat:50% redwood soil conditioner. One bed was the standard strawberry raised bed with non-fumigated soil. Field samples were collected from these beds in late August. The samples included root and crown tissue, substrate material and soil from below the troughs, and were assayed for V. dahliae, P. cactorum, and Colletotrichum spp. Disease incidence and pathogen infection data are being developed and will be presented on the poster.