ISHS Acta Horticulturae 255: III International Symposium on Soil Desinfestation
SOIL MULCHING FOR CHEMICAL SOIL DISINFESTATION : POSSIBILITIES AND EVOLUTIONS. |
| Author: | E. Van Wambeke |
| Abstract:
Effective chemical soil disinfestation by fumigation is nearly impossible without mulching. The list of active compounds did not change during the last decenniads, but the list of mulching methods and materials did. Mulching methods depend on the fumigant type. Highly volatile fumigants such as methyl bromide (MB) need materials with excellent sealing properties, actually only to be found among plastic sheets. Other fumigants, e.g. methyl isothiocyanate (MIT) and 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D), frequently used for large scale outdoor cultures, are sometimes used without an external barrier, instead of which rolling and/or water sealing of the upper soil layer is performed. MB was used for years before classic LDPE-mulching was suspected to be of poor quality. Since, a variety of more gas-tight plastic sheet materials became developed, commercialized and also tested for co-fumigants and MIT. Lower doses however do not compensate the higher plastic prices but environmental and toxicological aspects are served with. Plastic sheet mulching for MIT and 1,3-D application has been replaced in experiments by polymer or resin spray applications which show promising results, also avoiding waste of plastic sheet and presenting a supplementary role of soil stabilizing agent. | |
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