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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Davis, California » Crops Pathology and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #297244
Title: Managing the almond and stone fruit replant disease complex with less soil fumigant

Author
item Browne, Greg
item LAMPINEN, B - University Of California
item HOLTZ, B - University Of California
item DOLL, D - University Of California
item UPADHYAYA, S - University Of California
item Schmidt, Leigh
item BHAT, R - University Of California
item UDOMPETAILKUL, V - University Of California
item COATES, R - University Of California
item HANSON, B - University Of California
item KLONSKY, K - University Of California
item Gao, Suduan
item Wang, Dong
item GILLIS, M - Trical Inc
item Gerik, James
item JOHNSON, R - University Of California

Submitted to: California Agriculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2013
Publication Date: 8/1/2013
Citation: Browne, G.T., Lampinen, B.D., Holtz, B.A., Doll, D.A., Upadhyaya, S.K., Schmidt, L.S., Bhat, R.G., Udompetailkul, V., Coates, R.W., Hanson, B.D., Klonsky, K.M., Gao, S., Wang, D., Gillis, M., Gerik, J.S., Johnson, R.A. 2013. Managing the almond and stone fruit replant disease complex with less soil fumigant. California Agriculture. 67(3):128-138.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: As much as one-third of California’s almond and stone fruit acreage is infested with potentially debilitating plant parasitic nematodes, and even more of the land is impacted by Prunus replant disease (PRD), a poorly understood soilborne disease complex that suppresses early growth and cumulative yield in replanted almond and peach orchards. Preplant soil fumigation has controlled these key replant problems, but the traditional fumigant of choice, methyl bromide, has been phased out, and other soil fumigants are increasingly regulated and expensive. We tested fumigant and nonfumigant alternatives to methyl bromide in multiple-year replant trials. Costs and benefits were evaluated for alternative fumigants applied by shanks in conventional strip and full-coverage treatments and applied by shanks or drip in novel spot treatments that targeted tree planting sites. Short-term sudangrass rotation and prudent rootstock selection were examined as nonfumigant approaches to managing PRD. Trial results indicated that integrations of the treatments may acceptably control PRD with relatively little soil fumigant.