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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 #215975

Title: Methyl Bromide Alternatives Area-Wide Pest Management Project - South Atlantic Progress Report

Author
item Chellemi, Daniel

Submitted to: Proceedings of Methyl Bromide Alternatives Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/31/2007
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: A Core Advisory Committee composed of 7 USDA-ARS members, 9 land grant university members and 9 grower and commodity group representatives (Table 1) met three times (December 2006, March and July 2007) to identify information and technology gaps, establish funding priorities and review submitted project proposals. An Executive Committee consisting of grower and commodity group representatives was empowered with final approval for funding project proposals. Eleven projects were supported from funds from the 2007 federal fiscal year (October 1, 2006 through September 30, 2007) and are listed on Table 2. Eleven large scale field demonstration trials were initiated between January and August 17, 2007 (Table 3). Five were completed by August 17, 2007 and 6 were still in progress. Methyl bromide alternatives were evaluated on tomato, pepper, eggplant, forest nursery seedlings (loblolly pine) and cut flowers (delphinium). Trials were conducted in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina and ranged from 0.5 to 58 acres. Alternative fumigants evaluated included various combinations of 1,3-dichloropropene, chloropicrin, methyl iodide, metam sodium and several combinations of herbicides. Nine different types of plastic films were evaluated including high and low density polyethylene, metalized and virtually impermeable films. Additional demonstration trials on strawberries in Florida, North and South Carolina, pepper in Florida, turf grass in Florida and pine seedlings in South Carolina will be initiated in fall 2007.

Technical Abstract: Protocols and Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) were developed for collecting environmental and soil edaphic information during and after application of methyl bromide alternatives. Parameters measured included soil moisture, soil bulk density, percent moisture at field capacity (-0.3 bars water matric potential), soil temperature, ambient temperature, rainfall, and humidity. Self-contained automated weather monitoring stations were purchased, calibrated and distributed to all cooperators. Equipment was purchased and provided to cooperators for collecting soil samples. Soil samples were processed in at the USHRL, Ft. Pierce for determination of soil moisture, bulk density and percent moisture at field capacity. Equipment was purchased and provided to cooperators for real time estimation of volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations in the soil atmosphere following fumigation. Calibration standards and operational protocol were developed and implemented to operate VOC meters. Equipment was purchased and provided to cooperators for collecting soil and soil atmosphere samples to quantitatively determine fumigant concentrations. Samples were processed at the USHRL Analytical Chemistry Laboratory in Ft. Pierce. For soil fumigant samples, sample collection and preparation techniques specified in EPA method 5035 followed by gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer methods specified in EPA method 8260 were employed. Soil atmosphere samples were collected using NIOSH method 2520 Issue 2 for methyl bromide in air except that XAD-4 tubes were substituted for charcoal tubes when sampling soil fumigant applications that included chloropicrin. Protocol was developed for documenting the design and operation of equipment used to deliver soil fumigants in field trials. Protocol was developed for recording the incidence and severity of soilborne pests in methyl bromide alternative field trials. Plastic films used in each trial were collected from the roll prior to application and from the field after application and sent to the USDA, ARS George E. Brown Jr. Salinity Laboratory in Riverside, CA for estimation of fumigant permeability.