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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Salinas, California » Crop Improvement and Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #384140
Research Project: Management of Pathogens for Strawberry and Vegetable Production Systems

Location: Crop Improvement and Protection Research

Title: Site-specific soil pest management in strawberry & vegetable cropping systems

Author
item Martin, Frank
item FENNIMORE, STEVEN - University Of California
item Matson, Michael
item RACANO, DARIO - University Of California
item PUTMAN, ALEXANDER - University Of California
item MELTON, FORREST - California State University
item HANG, MICHAEL - California State University
item MAGNEY, TROY - University Of California
item EARLES, MASON - University Of California
item GOODHUE, RACHAEL - University Of California
item VOUGIOUKAS, STAVROS - University Of California
item DORN, NATHAN - Non ARS Employee
item Henry, Peter
item GREER, CHRIS - University Of California - Cooperative Extension Service
item DAUGOVISH, OLEG - University Of California - Cooperative Extension Service
item BISCARO, ANDRE - University Of California - Cooperative Extension Service
item STANGHELLINI, MIKE - Trical Inc

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/15/2021
Publication Date: 8/2/2021
Citation: Martin, F.N., Fennimore, S., Matson, M.E., Racano, D., Putman, A., Melton, F., Hang, M., Magney, T., Earles, M., Goodhue, R., Vougioukas, S., Dorn, N., Henry, P.M., Greer, C., Daugovish, O., Biscaro, A., Stanghellini, M. 2021. Site-specific soil pest management in strawberry & vegetable cropping systems. American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting, August 2-6, 2021 (virtual).

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: California produces 88% of the fresh market strawberries in the U.S. with a value exceeding $2.2 billion/year. The majority of production is in fields where preplant soil fumigation has been used to manage soilborne pests. With production cost exceeding $60,000 per acre/yr in the California central coastal region, pathogen management is essential for economic return for the growers. Multi-year field trials are in progress in progress at five sites reflecting the major production districts of California to evaluate site-specific management of soilborne pathogens. Variable fumigant rates based on disease risk and crop rotation are being evaluated for their impacts on pathogen populations. The objective is to develop a fully integrated management approach for soilborne pathogens that reduces both fumigation rates and disease incidence. qPCR assays are used to quantify and map several lethal soilborne pathogens and assess fumigation rates, which are applied based on a risk assessment of observed pathogen populations/disease severity in the prior season. Weekly/biweekly drone flights capture calibrated remote sensing data with a 5 cm spatial resolution that supports monitoring of plant vigor and disease incidence. Precision yield data are collected with GPS enabled sensors throughout the season to evaluate the effect of fumigation and rotation treatments on yield. An economic analysis of alternative production practices provides information to support grower decision making. Correlations between remote sensing data and yield will be used to develop yield prediction models.